The Greatest Gift
by Virginia City Scribes
Summary: A shooting accident causes a hunting expedition to turn into a deadly quest for survival. When past nightmares threaten to take away what means the most to Griff, he will have to rely on the strength of the Cartwrights to see him through the ordeal. (Set after the events of "A Hard Lessen Learnt" but this story stands completely on its own.)
1. Chapter 1

**Howdy, everybody! The Virginia City Scribes are back and we're so excited to share our next story with you! We can't wait to hear what you think in a review and hope you enjoy the ride. Before we start, we'd like to say thank you to Seeleg Lester for writing the episode My Brother's Keeper that inspired us to write our story. **

* * *

Chapter 1:

A thin sheen of perspiration shone on Hoss Cartwright's face as he saddled his horse and stroked the stallion's flank affectionately. He turned toward the main house at the sound of two familiar, jovial voices. He smiled as he caught sight of his younger brother, Joe, with his unruly wavy hair and their adopted adolescent brother, Jamie. Together, the two companions walked up to Hoss, grinning and laughing at a joke shared between them.

"What're ya two laughin' at?" Hoss mockingly chastised. "Dadburnit, where's Griff? We shoulda already made cross country by now. Wonder what's keepin' him?"

Joe's features turned serious. "Candy's with him. He'll be along in a minute."

It had been almost three months since the events that almost cost the young ranch hand his life. An awkward silence fell over the three brothers before Jamie broke it with small talk on whether or not he'd able to shoot any wolves should they come across any on their trip.

"That all depends on if you're gonna be shootin' straight!" Hoss laughed.

"Sure I can! Joe, you've seen me shoot them buzzards. Tell him, Joe, go on!" Jamie persisted enthusiastically.

"Yeah sure I have but you gotta be careful now. Wolves are a little more than just buzzards," Joe cautioned lightly.

"Yeah, I know that." Jamie's deflated response earned him a jovial slap on the back by Hoss that almost knocked him off his horse. Straightening his hat, the youngster sighed and allowed a victorious image of himself shooting down a big, ferocious wolf to enter his mind.

* * *

The tall, lanky young man hastily shoved a change of clothes into his travel sack when a light knock on the door took his attention away from the task at hand. Tucking his journal under his pillow after at last deciding not to bring it with him, he craned his neck to greet his visitor though he already knew who it could be.

"Almost ready, buddy?" Candy asked, a hint of brotherly concern played in his eyes as he walked into the bunkhouse and approached Griff.

"Yeah, I'm all set." Griff pulled the drawstring shut then swung the sack over one shoulder. A slight twinge of pain in his midsection reminded him of the nightmares he had worked hard to forget and put behind him.

"You sure you're up to it? The trip?" Candy questioned as he studied the youth. Griff nodded and smiled. He started toward the door when Candy reached out and took his arm. "Just remember that you still need to take it easy. Don't overdo it, okay?"

Griff refrained from rolling his eyes. "I'm not an invalid, Candy. Will you quit worrying? I haven't been off the ranch since... you know, a guy could go stir crazy being cooped up in one place for too long."

Candy snorted. "I wouldn't go as far to say that you've been cooped up. You're on a _ranch_."

Griff sighed. "You know what I mean. Besides, it's not like I'd be doing chores or breaking horses. Think of this as more of a vacation."

"Right," Candy nodded, hiding his worry. "Sure. It will be a vacation for me, too."

Pausing from making sure he had everything in his bag, Griff gave Candy a quizzical look. "How so?"

"It'll give me a break from you!" the foreman laughed, giving his young friend an encouraging slap on the back as they walked out to meet Joe, Hoss and Jamie.

After the four men said goodbye to the rest of the family and accepted a basket of food packed by Hop Sing, they commenced their journey and galloped towards the Pluckman Ravine. A light breeze whisked across the land to send off the hunting party.

* * *

Shifting in his saddle, Griff threw his head back to marvel at the warm sun and fresh air. "Will you take a look at that sky?" he admired. "There ain't no better day we could've picked for this hunting trip!"

"I hope that wolf is enjoying the day as much as you, because it's gonna be his last," Joe remarked. He scanned the area for any sign of grey fur or paw-prints in the dusty dirt. "We've already lost too many head of cattle to that animal."

"Of course we'll get that wolf! Hoss is the best tracker this side of the Mississippi!" Griff reasoned.

When he heard his name mentioned , Hoss perked up and joined the conversation. "Aww, you're mighty kind, Griff," he smiled, casting a proud look to Joe. "And mighty smart."

Joe rolled his eyes, but he knew that Griff was right.

Not wanting to be left out, Jamie kicked his horse to wedge himself between Griff and Joe. "Yeah!" he awkwardly interjected. "A-And besides the wolf, maybe we'll cross paths with a puma! I ain't never seen one up close before."

"We've got one predator on the loose already, and you're hoping to see another?" Griff playfully mocked, unsure of how to interact with the sixteen-year-old.

In the last seven months that Griff had come to live on the Ponderosa as part of his probation, he had very little interaction with the youngest, adopted Cartwright son. It was not as if Griff disliked Jamie. Griff simply did not know how to be alone with him. Having grown up quickly in prison, Griff thought of the Cartwrights, Candy, and the rest of the hands as his peers more so than he did Jamie, even if he was only three years older than the sandy-haired teenager.

"Not hoping," Jamie quickly denied, silently berating himself for sounding so childish in front of the three men. All he wanted was to be accepted as an adult who could be trusted to do whatever needed to be done for the good of the ranch, not a kid or even worse, a burden who could not pull his weight. "Just saying it's possible. It's always good to be prepared for the unexpected. That's what Pa and Adam always tell me. Hoss and Joe, too. Ain't that right?"

Hoss and Joe nodded in assent. Griff did not know how to respond, so he turned his attention back to the sky.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Please note that while this story can absolutely be read as a standalone, it does follow and will reference our first story A Hard Lesson Learnt. If you are interested, please check out AHLL (found on this website.) As stated previously, though, this story is a standalone and can be read as such. See you next chapter! :) **


	2. Chapter 2

**_AN: Just wanted to thank our readers and letting you know that we're not too far off before trouble finds our boys..._**

* * *

Chapter 2:

Back on the Ponderosa, life carried on as if no one had left; chores still needed to be done, wood had to be chopped and the livestock taken care of. The rays of the afternoon sun reached their peak and both Candy and Ben decided it was time for a break. They needed something to cool them off so they washed their faces and poured water over their heads and necks at the water pump by the windmill.

"You've been a little quiet. If I didn't know better I'd say you're preoccupied," Ben began.

"I don't know. I guess I still worry a little. You know, after everything that's happened,"Candy reluctantly admitted .

"And what would Griff say if he caught you worrying?" Ben warmly quipped .

"He'd say I was molly coddling, tell me to quit it and throw something at me!" Candy laughed as he quickly realized that Griff was a man - albeit a young man, but he was certainly old enough to go hunting and tracking with others who would watch out for him.

Ben clapped Candy on the back and let out a genuine laugh, lifting both their spirits. He had secretly been worrying over Jamie much the same way that Candy had been over Griff but he refrained from letting that admission escape his lips.

"Then it sounds like you know Griff pretty well," Ben smiled knowingly.

At that moment, a steady pair of hoof beats was heard as Sport came lumbering up to the well. "Howdy," Adam greeted as he dismounted and offered his trusty horse a drink of water. "Did I miss the brave hunting party's departure?"

Ben nodded, squinting against the gust of wind that picked up in the air. "Yeah, they left a few hours ago. I thought you were planning to get back to say goodbye?"

Adam took a seat next to Candy. "Yeah, I was," he admitted. "But I got held up at the general store looking at those catalogs. Lots of nice products in there," the eldest Cartwright son casually admitted.

"And expensive," Candy scoffed.

"True, but I got something special in mind planned," Adam hinted, wondering if Candy was picking up on what he was really talking about. "You know, something that's happening at the end of this month…"

"Oh?" Candy prodded, hoping Adam would elaborate.

Adam shared a jovial look with Ben before explaining, "On September 29th," as he raised an eyebrow.

"The 29th?" Realization suddenly came over Candy. "Griff's birthday?! So that's what you're talking about - a gift for him?"

"Of course!" Adam revealed. "Now that he'll be gone a couple days, we can plan a surprise party for when he comes home."

Ben interjected, "We know it must be at least four years since he's celebrated, probably more with that rotten step-father of his, but we thought it'd be nice to have a celebration of sorts, what with everything that's happened since he's come here."

Looking a little embarrassed, Candy took another sip of water. "I plumb forgot about his birthday."

"He hasn't mentioned a thing," Adam informed him. "The only reason Pa knew about it was because it's on his parole papers. He's in for a big surprise!"

"I see," Candy said, a grin spreading across his face. "Why haven't you told me before now?"

"Because," Adam quipped. "When it comes to keeping secrets, you're worse than Joe!" He stood up and stretched the crick out of his back. Before Candy could retaliate, Adam cut him off. "Let's get to planning this party!"

* * *

Prison life never agreed with Issac Warren, but he didn't have to worry about rotting behind the cold stone walls anymore. Al Reisner had kept his word and seen to that. _Yes, sirree, he did._ Very soon, all Issac needed to do was steal a horse, some clothes, food, water and a gun. He'd ride on out, away from the hell hole he was thrown into. Slinking under cover of the shadows, the convict waited for just the right time to pounce away from the dark corner and catch the guard on duty by surprise. No sooner did Issac's murderous mind conjured up his plan of action, an opportune moment presented itself and he jumped the unsuspecting guard. Using every ounce of strength he possessed, the hardened criminal pinned his victim's throat up against the wall crushing his windpipe. Allowing the limp body to slump to the ground, Issac quickly took the keys clipped to the guard's belt loop then after several attempts, he found the right key to open the door that would lead him out to the prison courtyard. Once he was over the wall, he would be free. He could almost taste the sweetness of freedom on the tip of his tongue, mingled with the bitterness of vengeance.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for reading, everyone! We appreciate you support and strive to make sure you enjoy the story that is unfolding. Please leave a review to let us know how we're doing if you get a chance! :)**

 **Honu59 - We appreciate your feedback and hope you will continue to follow our story. Thank you!**

* * *

Chapter 3:

A short distance away from Jamie and Griff, Joe watched the youngster animatedly interrogating Griff, who was clearly trying to read in peace. Shaking his head, Joe grinned then unrolled his bed roll on the ground by the fire.

"Poor boy's gonna wear himself hoarse from all that yammerin'. And there ain't nobody listenin'," Hoss sympathized. He untied his bedroll and unrolled it beside his brother's.

"You mean poor Griff!" Joe let out a chuckle he'd been trying hard to contain all afternoon.

"Whaddya mean by that?" Hoss asked, not quite understanding where Joe was coming from.

Joe arched his eyebrows. "Come on, Hoss, just how much yammerin' can a man take? Jamie's been at it since we stopped for lunch. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he thinks this is some big adventure he's goin' on and he's havin' some trouble reigning in his excitement."

"But what does that have ta do with Griff?"

"Well, I guess Jamie is looking for a a friend and since Griff is the only one here who hasn't had the heart to tell him to shut it, this could go on all night."

"All night?" Hoss asked skeptically.

Joe nodded in mock seriousness. "I'm afraid so."

The two Cartwright brothers turned their attention back to the other, younger members of their camp.

A gust of wind whipped through the air, nearly blowing Hoss's ten-gallon hat off of his head.

Jamie placed another log into the campfire then sat down beside Griff. "Whatya readin'?"

Without looking up from his book, Griff answered, "The Three Musketeers." He wished Jamie would sit somewhere else or at least shut up, but he didn't want to be rude to the boy so he kept his response short and hoped he'd catch the drift and leave him alone.

"I think I know that one," Jamie recalled. "Ain't that the story where d'Artagnan joins the Musketeers and..." Jamie rambled, oblivious to the fact that his intended audience was grinding his teeth to avoid snapping at him. "Well, I, uhh, never finished the whole book. It was kinda tough to keep awake, if you know what I mean."

"Nope, I don't," Griff said brusquely, trying to avoid sounding annoyed but failing miserably. He was tired after a long day of tracking without any real progress. The four men had tracked wolf prints through rough country, only to find neither hide nor hair of the animal. Jamie's chattering was the last thing Griff wanted to be subjected to and his patience was wearing thin. "Just 'cause you're too thick to understand it, don't mean everybody else _is_. This novel happens to be one of my favorites. In fact, I've read the book before."

Jamie gave him a quizzical look. "That's one of your favorites?" he asked incredulously. "When Miss Jones - she's the schoolteacher - has us read something that long, I kin barely get through it! I don't really like readin' fancy stuff like that much. No sir! I can barely understand what the people say in those ancient stories. That ain't for me. Neither is arithmetic. Or history. Or-"

"Sounds like you don't like anything," Griff cut the younger youth off, hoping Jamie would go bother Joe or Hoss, who were both busying themselves with taking care of the horses. "Maybe you oughta find yourself a hobby or something."

"Oh, I got a hobby," the boy beamed, waiting for Griff to respond. When no response came forth, he elaborated, "I like them dime novels. I buy a pair every week at the general store. Now that's good readin' material! Kidnappings, robbers, gun-slingers, damsels in distress," he listed in awe. When Griff still did not respond, Jamie shifted his weight and scratched the back of his neck. "Well, what are your hobbies, Griff?"

"Reading," Griff tersely answered, turning the page with a snap of his wrist. "An' being quiet."

"Oh," Jamie shrugged, clearly not understanding Griff's subtext. "That's it? Kinda boring, don't you think?"

Griff heaved a sigh of exasperation. "Nope."

Unfazed and unaware he was overstepping his bounds, Jamie continued to interrogate Griff. "Is that because readin' was all you were allowed to do in prison?" he questioned, oblivious to the sinking feeling and red-hot anger that bloomed within Griff's gut.

"And just what do you know about being in prison?!" Griff shot back, slamming his book shut and threateningly leaned in towards Jamie. "You think those cells had shelves full of books available to cons? They were full of murderers and thieves and people who did things that were far worse than you can possibly imagine. Stupid kid," he scoffed. "Can't you tell the difference between prison and a library?"

When Griff began raising his voice, Joe and Hoss took notice and started back towards the campfire. Although Griff was used to having to keep a constricting hold on his emotions for survival during his time in prison, he'd been around the Cartwrights long enough for them to know that if he did ever get pushed to express his anger, the outcome was never good.

"No. Err, I mean… Yes…" Jamie stammered. "I mean, I guess I n-never thought about…"

"Damn right you never thought,"Griff sizzled. "So why don't you just go on and ask your stupid questions somewhere far away from me?"

Jamie opened his mouth to apologize but the words were caught in his throat and he couldn't find the will to speak them out loud. Embarrassed and hurt by the truth behind Griff's harsh outburst, Jamie stood up and turned away from the ranch hand.

"Alright, boys, it's high time we get ourselves some shut-eye," Hoss broke the awkward moment that had built up between the two youths.

Joe met Jamie as the teen fumbled with his bedroll. "Griff didn't mean what he said."

Jamie continued to struggle with the ties, his face burning and his eyes prickled. "Yeah? Well, he's right. I talk too much."

Joe took the bedroll from Jamie and skillfully untied it. "Hey, don't worry 'bout it. It's not like we've never told you to quit your yammerin'!" He quipped, trying to make the youth feel better.

"Yeah, but you usually just throw your boots at me. You never yelled at me!" Jamie finally looked up and met Joe's eyes.

"Tell you what? I'll tell Griff in the mornin' that next time he should just throw his boots at ya," Joe continued, giving the youngster a slap on the shoulder.

"I should apologize to him,"Jamie suggested, starting to walk toward Griff but a gentle hand stopped him.

"Let him sleep it off. Come on now, get some rest. We've a long day tomorrow." Joe smiled and bade a forlorn Jamie good night.

In the meantime, Hoss approached Griff who had just stowed his book away in his travel sack. "You know, the boy didn't mean nothin' by it."

Griff looked up and caught Hoss's gaze studying him. "I know, Hoss. I just...I don't know. Jamie...," Griff sighed, frustrated more at how he had handled the younger boy than he really was at Jamie's incessant chatter.

"Is a part of this family, too," Hoss reminded him.

Griff shrugged and conceded. "Yeah, I know. But that still doesn't give him the right to talk my ear off anytime he gets a notion to." Such a defensive response sounded hollow even to Griff's own ears.

The larger man knew that Griff was still sore about something, but he figured that it would not do any good to exacerbate the situation any further. "No, no it don't," he agreed. "But I think he does have the right to try an' get to know ya a little better."

Griff yawned and silently nodded, unsure of what to make of Hoss's proclamation.

"C'mon, let's hit the hay," summoned Hoss. "We've got a long day ahead of us."

* * *

After scaling the prison fence and walking for miles to the next town, Issac was dog-tired, but he finally made it to the closest town. Hishville was a small, dusty little town that was not even large enough to make it onto Nevada's map, but it was the perfect temporary hideout for the escaped convict. Using the spare change he had stolen from the unfortunate prison guard, Issac rented himself a room in the broken-down boarding house. Once in the confines of his room, he shaved away all of his ragged facial hair to hide his identity. Fingering his smooth chin, Issac had only one thought running through his mind.

He wanted revenge on Griff King and the Cartwright family and this time, he vowed, no one was going to get in his way.

Strolling back into the hotel lobby, Issac addressed the clerk. "Howdy," he smiled, feigning friendliness. "M'name's Glenn. Dan Glenn," he introduced. "I'm new in these here parts, and I'm looking for a ranch called the Pon-dee-ray-sa." Issac had a hunch that his mispronunciation of the famous ranch would put a stop to any suspicion the clerk may have had. "Can you tell me how to get there?"

"Oh, you mean the Ponderosa!" the clerk obliged. "That's Ben Cartwright's spread. A beautiful piece of land with prime cattle and timber. Of course I can give you some directions," he offered as he retrieved a paper and pencil. "Have you got business with Mr. Cartwright?"

"Something like that," Issac grinned wickedly.

* * *

The next day, Joe and Hoss awoke early to find Griff had already started preparing breakfast for all of them. Impressed to see the parolee had taken it upon himself to assume some added responsibility, the Cartwright brothers smiled at one another.

"Smells good, Griff!" Hoss yawned. He stretched and pushed the blanket off him then slowly stood up and stooped over the fire warming his hands.

"Thanks. Hop Sing taught me a thing or two before I moved back into the bunkhouse," Griff replied. He passed a tin cup filled with hot coffee to each of them then inclined his head toward the still sleeping form nearby.

"You wanna do the honours?" Joe asked with a smirk.

Griff rubbed the back of his neck, still feeling unsure about initiating any form of contact with the boy but he took a deep breath, nodded, then walked over to the youth, leaned over and tussled his mop of red hair. "Come on. Wake up, kiddo."

Jamie's eyes fluttered open and he mumbled, "Mornin'. Is it really time to get up?"

"Yeah, come on. Get up," Griff more or less ordered impatiently, before turning back to the pan on the fire and pretending the morning meal needed more attention than it really did.

Joe and Hoss watched in amusement before the younger Cartwright noticed Jamie closing his eyes again and dozing off. With a sigh he strode over to where the boy lay and pulled the blanket off him. It didn't take long at all for Jamie to respond to the cold air that bit into his flesh.

"Hey!" Jamie protested, trying to retrieve his blanket but he saw to his dismay that Joe had already started to roll it up.

"You heard Griff. Time to get up or you'll miss breakfast. Now come on, I'm not gonna ask ya again. We've got a long ride ahead of us and we're heading into wolf territory. There's been too many sightings for my liking, I don't want to take any risks by making camp until we get passed that area which means we need to get a move on," Joe chided.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks to all our readers. Here is the next installment, chock full of action and suspense! We would love to hear what you think.**

* * *

Chapter 4:

Once breakfast was over and done with, the campfire had been put out and the horses saddled, the four companions continued on their journey. To Griff's relief, the still-tired Jamie was more subdued and kept talking to a minimal. A twinge of guilt over how he had treated the younger boy played in his conscience and he sought for a way in which to make it known to him how he felt.

A howl broke through the silence followed by another, closer this time than the first. Joe and Hoss held up their hands signalling for the two youths to stop in their tracks and to keep quiet. Hoss carefully drew out his rifle from his saddle and Joe followed suit.

"The wolf must be close," Hoss observed. "We'll split up. Jamie and I will take the high ground, in case he's using them mountains as shelter. Joe, you and Griff stay down here in case he makes a break fer it."

Just as the party began to split up, Joe yelled over the roaring wind hoping to get Jamie and Griff's attention, "And no shooting unless Hoss and I give the all clear!"

Neither Griff nor Jamie caught everything that Joe had said but they met his eyes and gave him a signal that they understood.

Yet another gust of wind blew up in their faces and this time, the wind did not die down. The dry dirt swirled around, dancing in the air and clouding the four men's visions. Unable to be deterred, Joe, Hoss, Jamie, and Griff all took their places and were intensely scanning the area for any flash of gray fur.

"Joe, look!" Griff called out over the wind. Joe was barely a few feet away from his lanky friend, but he could barely hear him. "I think I see the wolf behind that boulder. Stay here and I'll flush him out." According to Griff's plan, the wolf would unknowingly run right in Joe's direction.

Joe gave a sharp nod to indicate that he heard Griff. With that, Griff dismounted Thunder and slowly moved towards the wolf, rifle poised. Thunder stood next to the boulder where Griff had left him, but as he pranced nervously at the impending storm, his tether came undone.

Up on the mountains, Jamie squinted to see through the cloudy, dust-filled air. When a blur of gray entered his vision, the teenager yelled, "Hoss, I see him! Hoss!" but his message was drowned out by the roar of the wind. Making a split decision, Jamie beckoned for his horse, Fly, to descend the hill so he could get a better shot. As he did so, he removed his rifle from the saddle. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he realized the gravity of the situation. _I'm gonna kill the wolf!_ he thought proudly. _This is it. It's now or never. I can't let him out of my sights._ Jamie raised his rifle and not bothering to take a second look through the sand storm, he fired at the gray blur and waited for the wolf to go down.

But Jamie never saw the wolf go down.

Instead, as he hurried towards where he thought he'd last seen the wolf, he saw Griff crumple to the ground from what could only have been a bullet - his bullet - slamming into the parolee's left shoulder. "Oh my God!" he gasped, completely frozen in place. The boy was so scared he suddenly found it impossible to pull his eyelids down to blink. Transfixed by the scene before him, Jamie watched helplessly as the wind blew his hat right off his head.

Alerted by Griff's movement and drawn to the sight of blood, a large gray wolf charged toward the teenager, who was still dazed and confused at what had just happened. The animal lunged at Griff, jaws open wide ready to sink his teeth into the man's neck. Out of instinct, Griff bent his left leg back at the knee and thrust it out at the wolf. The wild animal latched onto its victim's outstretched ankle, eliciting a cry of pain from the desperate man. "Ahh… Get off!" The raven-haired ranch hand scrambled to get away, but with a bullet in his left shoulder, his reflexes were much slower than he needed them to be. "Joe!" he called out desperately as he rolled to and fro in an effort to keep the wolf's fangs away from his throat. "Joe, the wolf! Get him off me!" Griff screamed. "Joe, please! Please, help me! Get him off!"

Joe did not need to be told twice. At the first syllable of Griff's pain filled screams, he jumped down from where he was perched and sprinted towards his friend, rifle in hand. Squinting against the dirt whooshing into his face from the fierce wind, he ran up to where Griff was struggling. Using the rifle as a club, he slammed the barrel into the wolf's body. Before the it could even get up, Joe fired three successive shots into the beast, ending its life.

Once Joe was sure the wolf was dead, he knelt down beside his young friend. "Griff," he said. "Griff, what happened?"

"I don't r-rightly know-w… Griff immediately tried to raise himself up from the ground but Joe firmly pushed him back. Catching sight of the crimson stain on his gray shirt, Griff's eyes widened in shock. "I'm… I'm shot, Joe!" he wheezed as if he had only just realized a bullet was embedded in his shoulder.

"Yeah. Take it easy. You'll be okay," Joe responded, checking Griff over for any other injuries. In addition to the bullet wound, the wolf had savagely mauled the nineteen year-old's ankle which was now mangled and bloody. Pieces of torn leather from his boot were caught in the wounds. While Joe knew that animal attacks were nothing to fool around with, he also realized there was very little he could do to ease Griff's suffering. When he could not find an exit wound for the bullet, Joe cursed to himself. "And looks like you're still carrying the slug."

Although Joe would not have thought that it could be possible, the wind blew yet even harder. He covered his mouth with his arm and continued to apply pressure to Griff's shoulder wound. "Oww," Griff involuntarily moaned, squeezing his blue eyes shut.

Joe pursed his lips, warily looking around. He could barely see more than a few feet in front of him, but someone had gunned Griff down and he was not taking any chances. A figure started to make its way towards Joe and he placed a hand on his pistol. When the figure stepped closer, he was able to make out Jamie's red hair and he relaxed.

"Jamie?" he questioned, standing up. "Where's Hoss? Why are you-" Joe noticed a tear travelling down his younger brother's cheek.

"It's my fault," Jamie reported brokenly, eyes glued to Griff's bleeding body. "I thought it was the wolf. I didn't know… So… I-I…" he explained above the roaring wind. "Oh God, I killed him! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I killed Griff!"

Joe could sense the weather was only going to get worse. His main priority was to get Griff to shelter as soon as possible, but keeping his adopted brother sane was a close second. "He's not dead, Jamie. Just hurt. We have to get him to shelter before this sandstorm makes it impossible. Where's Hoss?"

"Still in the high lands!" Jamie yelled. He spat out a mouthful of sand before continuing. "I thought I'd only been gone a minute…" When Jamie spoke, Joe glanced up in the direction he had last seen Hoss, but the dirt and sand was making it impossible to see.

"Hoss'll be fine," Joe concluded. "He'll know something went wrong. He'll take shelter from the storm and we'll meet up with him…" Under his breath, Joe added, "Somehow." Joe was glad Jamie at least knew enough to keep a hold on his horse in the storm. Fly and Cochise were getting anxious with the storm, but the two loyal horses were present. For that, Joe was thankful, until he realized who was missing from the trio. "Thunder," he sighed, clenching his fists.

Looking down at Griff, Joe could see the youth was losing consciousness fast. He was probably going into shock, too, which would explain his tremors. Acting hastily, Joe knelt back down and whispered in Griff's ear. "Griff? Stay awake for me, Griff."

The ex-con locked gazes with Joe to show he was awake and aware.

"Where'd you leave Thunder? We've got to get you both outta here," Joe asked patiently, despite his desperate desire to get to shelter quickly.

"B-behind the rocks over there," Griff answered, moving his head in the direction of where he thought the black stallion was waiting.

"Ain't nothin' there now," Jamie said sullenly. "He must have bolted when the wolf pounced."

Sighing, Joe turned his attention back to the injured man. "I'm sorry, Griff. Thunder's not here. We'll have to ride double." Squatting down, Joe placed his arms under Griff and motioned Jamie to mirror him on the opposite side. "Think you can walk?"

"N-not h… here?" Griff echoed. "Then w-where is h-he? I gotta… Gotta find him." Allowing Joe and Jamie to help him to his feet, Griff swayed and leaned against the two brothers as he tried to take off in a different direction. "He c-can't be g-gone. I can't l-lose him…" The fire in his shoulder and twinge in his ankle was nothing compared to the pain of losing his treasured mount. "Lemme go!" he tried to pull away from Joe and Jamie's grip. "Thunder!" he yelled into the wind. "C'mon, boy! Thun-thunder!"

"Griff! Don't!" Joe's bellow resulted in him inhaling a mouthful of sand. He coughed and spluttered, all the while vainly keeping a firm grip on the struggling, wounded young man.

His strength giving out, Griff finally allowed himself to be steered away from the unrelenting wind. Devastated that he had just lost his most prized possession and companion, the youth felt his heart clench.

"Get the horses behind those boulders. Go!"Joe ushered Jamie, who took the reigns from his older brother, as he half carried, half dragged a semi-conscious Griff with him.

Once they made it behind the cluster of boulders, they were able to find a small measure of a reprieve from the sand storm. At least it was enough for Joe to tear off a piece of material from his shirt and use it to slow the bleeding to Griff's shoulder then with Jamie's help they managed to prop Griff up into Cochise's saddle. Together, using their neck ties to cover their mouths and noses, they pushed onward, seeking shelter and a place to rest.

The further the three companions trudged on, the weaker the storm became but exhaustion threatened to drag them down. The sky darkened and the temperature continued to drop.

"There's a cabin up ahead,"Joe pointed at a log structure in the distance. Had it been night fall, they'd never see it for there were no lanterns or a fire burning glaring through the windows. It was an indication that no one lived there or no one was home at that moment.

Griff swayed in the saddle and if it weren't for Joe's quick and sure hands, he would have fallen out of it. "Easy. Easy!" Carefully, he and Jamie pushed him back up and held him steady.

* * *

"Joe! Griff? Jamie?" Hoss called out into the wind but he knew it was no use. No matter how loudly he yelled, the storm drowned out his voice.

When Chubb began to whinny and paw at the ground, Hoss knew that the horse was right. He had to find shelter and figure out his next move, even if it was without his companions. He slowly led his horse around the small mountain to take shelter in a cavernous space that was just large enough to shelter him and his horse. Using his shirt to help him breathe, Hoss dismounted and encouraged Chubb to take a few more steps into the shallow cave so they could breathe easier. "Good boy," he crooned dusting himself off and inhaling deeply. "That storm won't hang on for long," predicted Hoss as he offered his horse water from the canteen. The steady animal lapped up the cool liquid with his tongue and bobbed his head in gratitude. Once that was done, Hoss sat down and patiently waited for the storm to ease, but he could not stop his thoughts from settling on how Joe, Jamie, and Griff had made out in the horrendous storm.

Hoss could only hope that Jamie somehow had caught up with Joe and Griff and the three of them were able to take shelter. He figured that as long as they had found each other, the situation was not dire. He had no idea how wrong he was.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Apologies if we haven't thanked our reviewers personally yet - we do appreciate the feedback and support. Thanks also goes to the readers who have added our story to their alerts.**

* * *

Chapter 5:

"Watch that left shoulder!" Joe ordered as Jamie helped his brother drag Griff into the small cabin. As soon as Griff was settled onto the bed, he began to move around restlessly, trying to take in his surroundings.

"We… h-home?" the wounded man rasped.

Jamie shared a look of worry with Joe. The abandoned shack looked nothing like the Ponderosa, meaning that Griff's grip on reality was on the verge of deteriorating. Although Jamie's complexion had paled several shades whiter at the question, Joe was not surprised at all. The shock from the bullet buried in his body combined with the wounds to his ankle had drained Griff of all his strength and rationale. Joe hoped that removing the bullet and a long rest would replenish Griff's energy.

"No, not just yet," Joe calmly answered as if confusing the tiny cabin with the Ponderosa ranch house was completely understandable. "Soon though, okay?"

"M'kay," Griff sighed, trying not to jostle his injuries.

Distracted by searching for a good knife to use for crude surgery, Joe didn't notice that Jamie had pulled a chair over to the prone ranch hand.

"Griff, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I didn't see you!" Jamie apologized repeatedly.

Griff concentrated hard to make sense of the younger boy's words. "Didn't mean it? M-mean wh-what?" He rolled his head around to face Jamie and was shocked to see how distraught the young boy looked. Slowly, he began to comprehend what Jamie was too horrified to explicitly say. "You… It was y-you who sh-shot me?"

Jamie nodded. "I'm so sorry. I screwed up."

Griff caught the remorse and fear in the youngster's voice and saw tears welling up in his eyes. He closed his own eyes then turned away and looked up at the ceiling. He wanted to yell at the boy and was mildly thankful he didn't have the strength to do it. He swallowed hard and concentrated on keeping his stomach contents down. He felt nauseous and dizzy.

"Jamie, there's some wood over in the corner there. I need you to get a fire started and quickly," Joe instructed after finally finding a knife in a kitchen drawer. He started searching the cabin for bandages or anything he could use to bind Griff's shoulder.

Jamie nodded, took a deep breath then did as he was told. The guilt that gnawed in his gut chewed at his insides until his hands shook as he went about his task.

When at last Joe had everything he thought he needed to remove the bullet from Griff's shoulder, he squeezed Jamie's shoulder reassuringly. "I'm gonna need your help. I need you to hold this lantern steady."

So lost in his guilt that he didn't catch what Joe had just said, Jamie looked up questioningly.

"Are you listening to me?" Joe instantly regretted the harsh tone in his voice. "Jamie, I'm sorry. Look, just hold this and keep it steady. Can you do that for me?"

Jamie nodded fervently and took the lantern. "Joe, is he… is he gonna be okay?"

"I hope so," Joe said softly so as not to be overheard by Griff. He gave Jamie a small smile of hope then heated the blade of the knife in the flames that danced in the fire place.

As Joe made sure that the entire blade was heated properly he pointed to his saddlebags. "Take a look in there," he ordered, flipping the blade over. "Find an extra cloth we can use. And that bottle of whiskey."

Jamie followed Joe's instructions even though he was not quite sure why Joe thought an extra cloth was so important. He fished around in the bag for a second before coming across a white, folded rag. "I've got one," Jamie reported. "Want me to rip it into bandages?"

Joe inspected the blade, hoping it was not too blunt. "No, no. Leave it as it is," he sighed, hating for what he was about to tell Griff he would do. Joe sat down on the edge of the bed so he could get a good angle of the wound. "Bring that light over, too" he beckoned. "Please," Joe added after a moment. He could see the toll that this was taking on his younger brother, but he also knew not to waste time if he wanted to avoid infection from settling in.

Jamie hurried to focus the light where Joe needed it to be.

"Griff?" Joe gently summoned. "We're gonna take that bullet out now. Here." He pulled the bottle's cork out with his teeth and held the half-empty bottle to Griff's lips. "Take a couple swigs. You're gonna need 'em."

Griff's nose wrinkled at the bitter smell. "Can't," he refused, pushing the bottle away with his right hand. "Parole rules, 'member?" he mumbled. "No pistol in town, no leavin' the state wi'out an escort, no alcohol ever."

Joe smiled at Griff's playful recitation of his parole restrictions. He brought the bottle back up to the youth's lips and slipped a guiding hand under Griff's head. "I know, I know. But I won't tell if you won't. Now come on," Joe smiled as Griff relented and swallowed several full mouthfuls of the burning liquid. "How 'bout a little more?"

Griff shook his head, wincing. "No more. Hate the taste. Just go an' get it over with."

Nodding, Joe pointed to the cloth Jamie was holding and motioned to offer it to Griff. Jamie dumbly obeyed as realization came over him. "Here, Griff," he offered awkwardly.

Griff took the cloth in his mouth and waited for the inevitable. At the first incision, he stiffened and could not suppress a loud groan. "Oh…" He tried to keep his body still but failed miserably. Instinctively he looked up at Jamie to get his mind off of the fact that Joe was slicing into his flesh in search of a bullet lodged somewhere in his body. "Oh God…" his mind screamed for mercy.

Jamie, however, did not realize Griff was desperate for reassurance. The sixteen year-old turned his head away sharply so he could not see the fresh blood seeping out of Griff or hear the strangled cries that tore at his throat. Although Jamie was neither sheltered nor squeamish, seeing the man he knew and looked up to in mid-surgery was almost more than the adopted Cartwright could bear.

"Easy, Griff," Joe shushed. "Hold still, okay? I think I've almost got it." Joe held his breath and probed for the bullet once more. Beads of sweat cascaded down his forehead. "Just hang on."

Griff tried to follow Joe's advice, but he was rapidly losing his stoic reserve. "Oh, please…" he sobbed through the cloth. The large tears that had built up in his eyes started to fall down his cheeks.

As he heard Griff quietly weep, Jamie barely refrained from breaking down. "Joe, how...how you doing?" The lantern began to shake, but that had nothing to do with the fatigue in Jamie's arm. "Are y-you almost done?"

"Hold that lantern still!" Joe ordered urgently, never taking his eyes off the delicate procedure he was working on.

Jamie held his wrist with his free hand in a vain effort to stop it from shaking. He looked at Joe and prayed that it would be over soon.

After a few more moments of silent concentration Joe heaved a sigh of immense relief and held up the bullet he had removed. "Got it!" With nothing to stitch the wound, Joe quickly cleaned the area then placed a wadded up clean rag over the site to stop the bleeding.

By now Griff was barely conscious and too exhausted to even flinch. He felt someone remove the chewed up rag from his mouth before two pairs of hands propped him up and a bandage was wrapped around his chest and back. Although he heard Joe's voice, Griff was well past understanding him. A stinging sensation in Griff's ankle sent his level of pain to an unbearable height. He let out an involuntary moan before darkness consumed him.

"These bite wounds are worrying me," Joe absently commented, flushing the wounds out with the remaining whiskey. "There ain't much I can do but clean them." Although their medical supplies was severely depleted, Joe was thankful they were at least able to clean the wounds and remove the bullet. Only time would dictate if his and Jamie's efforts were enough to ward off infection and save Griff's life.

Jamie nervously swallowed. "Really? They… they don't look so bad." The boy tried to be optimistic but a flash of the wolf chewing on Griff like he were a rag doll entered his mind, and he knew he could not maintain the delusion for long.

"At least he didn't lose his foot," Joe said bluntly, trying to see the silver lining but finding it so hard to find. "For now, that's all the good news we've got."

Shuddering at the possibilities he did not want to think about, Jamie draped a saddle-blanket over the unconscious man while Joe set about washing his hands and cleaning up. Joe fell silent and Jamie wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

* * *

The next day, Hoss awoke to fresher air and a gentle breeze. It was time to head out and find his brothers and Griff. The storm had covered the tracks in the dirt and he had to rely on guesswork and how well he knew Joe to figure out which direction his younger brother may have taken the others or at worst, himself. Hoss hoped that the trio were together but there was no way he could tell. Eventually he came across the wolf's carcass which were already being pecked at by the buzzards. Not far from where the animal lay, he caught sight of a bloodied hand print on a boulder and crusty, brown droplets on some rocks further down. He frowned and scanned the area but there were no more clues as to where his companions had disappeared to. If the blood belonged to one of them and not the wolf, they were going to need help and fast. Crouching down next to another rock formation, Hoss's keen eyes rested on something partially buried in the loose dirt. Using his hands to free the object, he recognised it to be Adam's book that Griff had been reading, _The Three Musketeers_. Lost in his thoughts he failed to see a shadow creep up behind him and by the time he felt their presence, something crashed into the back of his head, knocking him out cold.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Got a nice looking horse, mister and I could use that rifle too," Isaac Warren drawled gloatingly. While he didn't recognize his unsuspecting victim, his eyes traveled over the familiar markings on the saddle bags.

The faded pine tree symbol stood out against the beige background. "Hmm, this be the Ponderosa brand," he surmised. "You must be one of Cartwright's precious hands," he growled, rifling through the bag for valuable money and supplies. Although he found barely any cash and nothing to identify the unconscious man, the jerky and ammunition would come in handy. "I guess I oughta thank Cartwright for such a generous donation." Laughing, Issac placed his foot in the stirrup and climbed onto Chubb's back. The horse fidgeted, unsure of this new human. Just as Chubb bent his head down, Issac kicked his heels into the horse's side. Surprised and startled, Chubb took off into the prairie, leaving Hoss stranded and unconscious on the ground.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks again to all readers/reviewers/alerters. We appreciate the support! Hope to hear from you in a review and see you next chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 6:

Ben's brow furrowed as he read the telegram that had the Deputy Sheriff had just delivered in urgency. So rapt was his attention on the foreboding news that he didn't notice Adam walking up into the room.

"Everything alright, Pa?" Adam asked with just a hint of worry creeping into his voice.

Ben placed the telegram down on his desk and looked up at his eldest son. "Clem dropped by. Got this telegram from the warden at Nevada State Prison. Issac Warren escaped two nights ago."

Adam shook his head in disbelief and refrained from cursing out loud. "I don't believe this. They should've hanged him..."

"Isaac's fate was never our decision to make," Ben cut in. Whatever Isaac deserved, Ben didn't like to think he could play God with a man's life and he didn't want his son to form that notion either.

"He's probably headed out to Mexico!" Adam replied bitterly.

"Actually that was why Clem was here. Apparently Issac was sighted heading out this way," Ben corrected.

"What?!"

Ben pushed his chair back and got up. He walked out from behind the table and placed a hand on Adam's tense shoulder. "We'll deal with the situation if we have to but for now let's not let him rule our lives. There's work to be done and Griff's party to finish preparing. Besides, Isaac's on his own now. I doubt he'd be foolish enough to pursue a vendetta against us when the while state is on the look out for him. No, he'd want to lie low and not draw attention to himself. He did after all escape a hangman's noose," the Cartwright patriarch reasoned as he tried to make light of the situation even if he felt an uneasiness beginning to churn in his stomach.

"I suppose you're right," Adam sighed and agreed to drop the subject.

"Did I hear you right?" Candy gasped, letting the front door shut behind him with a slam. "Because it sounded to me like you said Issac Warren escaped prison. And I know that can't be true."

Ben gave a resigned nod. "You heard right," he confirmed. "But Clem is aware and now so are we. When Griff gets back we'll see what's what, but I don't want to worry the boy if there's no need." Adam and Candy shared a look, silently agreeing with Ben. "The last thing any of us need is for Griff's nightmares to resurface."

"Understood, Mr. Cartwright," Candy breathed.

"Good," Ben solemnly accepted. "Then let's not talk about this anymore. We've a birthday party to plan!" The mood lifted at the mention of the upcoming celebration. "Candy, how did it go in town?"

"Good, good," Candy quickly answered, taking a checklist out of his back pocket. He unfolded the paper and scanned it before continuing. "Let's see. I ordered the decorations from the seamstress, Mrs. Dipple. She said they'd be ready by the end of the week. I talked to Abigail over at the Cafe and she agreed to get here early and help Hop Sing with the cookin'," he listed.

Ben snickered at the idea of Hop Sing allowing anyone in his kitchen. "God bless Abigail," he joked.

"The only item on the list I couldn't get done was Griff's present," sadly informed Candy. "I asked Mr. Shaw to see that catalogue you was talkin' about yesterday, Adam, but he said any order I placed now wouldn't be in 'til December. And that's if there ain't any snowstorms."

"December?" Adam repeated. "That's absurd!"

"Something about the train schedule," shrugged the foreman. "But Mr. Shaw did say that if we send away for it now, we could pick it up in Placerville by the end of the week."

"There's our answer," Ben pointed out. He crossed his arms in front of his chest as he sat down. "Looks like you two are going to Placerville!"

"Hey, that's right up where Hoss, Joe, Griff, and Jamie are huntin'," noticed Candy.

Adam laughed, "Hope we don't run into them on our way!"

With that, the two friends readied themselves for the quick trip as they argued over what to purchase Griff for his birthday. Knowing that whatever decision they came to would be a thoughtful gift for Griff, he returned to the financial papers and documents sitting on his desk.

* * *

Back in the abandoned shack, night had fallen and the temperature had dropped, reminding the three men that fall has arrived.

Jamie nervously busied himself with finding wood to burn in the fireplace while Joe watched over Griff. For the last few minutes, Griff's eyes had been fluttering under his eyelids, so Joe expected him to awaken soon. He stripped off his green jacket and placed it over Griff for extra warmth, but the chilly air was not helping Griff conserve heat. The teen had lost a lot of blood, and Joe knew that protecting Griff from the chilly air wold be much harder as the night went on.

When a low groan came from the bed, Joe leaned in near Griff. "Griff," he summoned. "You with me, Griff?"

Joe's efforts were rewarded when the nineteen year old opened his eyes. "Could… could I have some water?" Griff sighed, sluggishly blinking as the single sentence drained his energy.

Joe jumped at the mild request and quickly retrieved the canteen. "Sure, sure. Have all you want," he encouraged. Joe spilled some of the tepid liquid into Griff's mouth, allowing the young man to drink his fill. Jamie, who had chopped enough wood to keep a fire going for a week, rushed over to see Griff, but could not find the words to interact with him comfortably.

Griff knew that he should help conserve water since the three of them had no idea how long they would be stuck in the shack, but at that moment, he could not bring himself to pull away from the canteen until his sand-paper throat felt bearable again. With his thirst quenched for the moment, Griff let his head drop backwards and he settled onto his folded hat that had been serving as his pillow. "Thanks, Joe. I'm good now. You an' Jamie have some, too." A burning sensation settled in Griff's left shoulder and ankle, bringing him to back to the present.

Joe put the cap back onto the canteen to keep up appearances, but he could feel that the canteen had only a few drops of water left. It certainly would not be enough to keep the three of them alive, especially with Griff being in his present condition. "It'll be here when we need it," Joe smiled, tying the canteen to his waist.

Too concerned with focusing on staying awake, Griff did not notice that neither Joe nor Jamie took a drink. "Where 're we?" he asked, looking around. For a moment, he made eye contact with Jamie, but the younger boy instantly broke it. "My head's a li'l fuzzy."

Joe patted his hand and squeezed it gently. "An abandoned shack off of Montpelier Gorge. Do you remember what happened?"

Griff slowly nodded. "Got shot," he answered, purposefully leaving out who shot him. In all honesty, the ex-con was still mad at Jamie for being so careless, but he did not think that pointing fingers at the kid would do him any good. "Then attacked by the wolf. Damn mutt nearly tore my foot clean off." Griff focused on his feet, making sure that both feet were attached. His ankle, however, had started showing signs of swelling. Joe gently brushed his hand against Griff's foot and the teenager could barely stifle a groan. That much pain in such a short time did not bode well for Griff, but worrying about that now would not help the situation. Griff pushed the burning pain out of his mind as best he could and heaved a sigh of relief. "Then you killed him I... I think."

"Yeah," Joe told him. "That's right. And the bullet's already out of your shoulder," he assured. "We're gonna be holed up here for a while though." Griff's eyes darted over a window and he could see dusk was just beginning to fall. As the injured man's strength showed signs of ebbing away, Joe fixed his jacket to cover Griff.

"Did…" Griff hesitated, afraid of Joe's response. "Didja find Thunder yet?" Joe's face fell and he shook his head ever so slightly. That was enough for Griff to understand. "But he would have been in that storm, and all alone. What if he-"

"I know, I know." Joe understood how much Griff loved his horse, but he knew that spending time looking for the black stallion was not a luxury any of them could afford right now. "But Thunder's smart and animals have good instincts. For all we know, he could be back at the Ponderosa by now." Joe knew that would be very unlikely, what with the wolf, storm, and lack of food, but he figured that keeping Griff's spirits up would aid in his recovery.

Griff mutely nodded. Joe hoped that meant Griff believed him, at least for the time being.

"So why don't you try to get some rest, huh? You're looking a little haggard," Joe joked.

Rolling his eyes, Griff hummed in response, "I'm still better-looking than you." Before he could do anything to stop himself, the nineteen-year-old's eyelids grew too heavy to keep open and his breathing slowed as he slipped into a heavy slumber.

Jamie leaned forward and concentrated on the rise and fall of Griff's chest to remind himself that the parolee still lived.

"He's just asleep, Jamie," Joe assured him, reading his younger brother's thoughts. With one last look at Griff, Joe donned his hat and slung his gun-belt around his slim waist. "He should be for a while. I think I can backtrack to that stream we passed a few hours ago and get some more water. If I come across any game, I'll bring that back, too. We need to eat, and Griff needs to keep up his strength. Stay here," he ordered. "And watch Griff. Do not let him get out of that bed. We have to keep those wounds clean." Joe opted not to mention the possibility of infection. Although Jamie was young, he knew the fatality rate of infected gunshot wounds and animal bites. Heaven help all of them if that vicious wolf was rabid. Joe thought back to the wolf's appearance. The animal did not seem to be exhibiting any signs of the fatal disease, but only time would tell. "I'll be back as soon as I can, hopefully before it gets too dark."

"Joe, I can go," Jamie volunteered, wanting to help Griff, too.

"Griff needs you," Joe countered, which silenced any further argument from Jamie. "Remember, do not let him up from that bed. He can't put any weight on that ankle. You understand? He's depending on you, Jamie. We both are."

The redhead gave a quick nod. "I promise," he vowed as Joe exited the cabin.


	7. Chapter 7

**A quick thank-you to all our readers and reviewers! Please enjoy this chapter and we hope to hear from you!**

* * *

Chapter 7:

A throbbing pain pounded in his skull as Hoss regained consciousness. Reaching up, he held the back of his head and winced. His hand came away wet with blood. After several unsuccessful attempts, he finally found the strength to raise himself up first on all fours then to his feet. He stood holding on to the boulder beside him as the ground spun and dizziness washed over him. Confusion turned to anger and worry as realization hit him that he had just been bushwhacked. Looking down, he saw The Three Musketeers on the ground. He bent down and picked it up, brushing the dirt off then placed it in his pocket. He scanned the are for any sign of Chubb but his horse was no where to be seen. The only evidence it left behind lay in the tracks it had made in the sand.

"What the…" He squeezed his eyes shut to ease the pounding pain that rippled through his skull. "Where am I?" he questioned aloud, although no one was there to answer him. "I remember…" Hoss thought back carefully, suddenly realizing that he was not sure what he remembered. The last thing he could clearly recall was looking for stray cattle, but that had been two weeks ago. He looked again at the novel in his hand and absently flipped through it. "Ain't no way I'd a-picked this up fer fun," he observed. He spotted Adam's full name written inside the front cover. The perfect penmanship comforted Hoss in a small way, although he throbbing headache still prevailed. "Adam…" he vocalized, taking off in a random direction that he hoped would lead him to the closet town able to send a wire to his family. "Adam?" he called again, wondering where his older brother was. The middle Cartwright son stumbled a bit, still unsure of where he was or what he should have been doing, but he kept trudging through the prairie as he wracked his brain, determined to recall his unattainable memories.

* * *

The distinct sound of horses and voices nearby met Isaac's ears. He had stopped for a break to wash his face and water the horse at a stream. "You better keep quiet, ya hear?" he warned the animal he had stolen before leading it deeper into the cover of more trees. Listening carefully, the convict kept a look out for the riders. He held the rifle he had acquired close to him in case he needed to use it. It wasn't long before the noisy strangers made an appearance and rode straight past where Isaac hid. To his surprise, the escaped criminal recognized the figures on horseback. Cartwright and that hand of theirs! A deeply rooted but burning hatred bubbled to the surface of his conscience and he tightened his hold on the weapon in his hand. His fingers automatically reached for the trigger and he fought to regain some self control. _Don't you blow it!_ He thought to himself, fighting the urge to kill the men right there and then. They had foiled his plans some months ago after he had taken the older Cartwright son hostage. He recalled the added bonus of holding Griff King with the merchandise. To him that was all that Cartwrights were - valuable merchandise. King, on the other hand, was something else altogether. The kid had a smart mouth alright but he was still a good-fer-nothing kid who had been asking for it ever since their time in prison. The fun ended of course when the Cartwrights and the meddling ranch hand brought the law and set a trap for him and his accomplices. The grand plan fell into ruins and he was sent back to prison. But he knew it wasn't going to be for long. Someone else from King's past came back to haunt him. Someone very useful indeed. The kid's step father. He paid for a lawyer to throw the useless kid back into his cell. Of course things don't always go according to plan. But with a little patience, all Isaac needed to do was bide his time until the crooked lawyer made those special arrangements with the prison guards.

Now the time had come for vengeance and this time he was going to make sure King went down for the count with the Cartwrights and that stupid hand.

Once he had hidden himself in the brush, Issac put his hand around his ear to listen in on the conversation between Adam and Candy.

"No, I told you," Adam repeated firmly. "The dictionary is the best option. With the way Griff reads, he'll use it every day. He'll be able to look up any word he wants any time he wants."

Scoffing, Candy shook his head. "But, Adam, I think you're forgetting that Griff is a ranch hand. He works on a ranch! He'll get much more use outta a new bridle."

Chubb's ears perked up when he heard the familiar voices and he whinnied softly. Issac gave a firm yank on the reins to shut the gelding up. "Quiet!" the outlaw ordered, and slowly walked the horse farther away, but still in earshot. By staying still and keeping a taught grip on the reins, Issac listened in, trying to pick up any tidbit of information that could help him get revenge on the whole Cartwright clan.

"Let's just see what the store has to offer," Adam finally conceded, although he had no intention of giving in to Candy's request. "Besides, I-" The mad clad in all black squinted when he saw a figure walking along the road just up ahead. "Look," he said, pointing. "There's a man up there."

Like Adam, Candy spurred his horse forward as they came up towards to the figure who was stumbling along. "Hey, mister," Candy called out, but as he got closer, his and Adam's blood ran cold.

"Hoss!" they called simultaneously, dismounting so they could steady the swaying Cartwright.

"A-Adam!" Hoss said, so relieved to have found his brother. "Candy!"

"Hoss, what happened?" Adam urgently asked.

"I… I don't rightly know…" Hoss rubbed the back of his head, and Adam could see the dried blood. He motioned for Hoss to sit down and surprisingly, Hoss submitted to his brother's ministrations. "Were we lookin' for strays?" Adam sharply glanced at Candy, who was already cleaning off Hoss's wound with a damp neckerchief. "Oh, here," Hoss said, taking The Three Musketeers out of his pocket and thrusting it into Adam's hand. "I found your book."

Candy's eyes widened as he listened to Hoss's broken speech and saw the book. "Griff took that with him on the hunting trip. Where's Griff?"

"Huntin' trip?" Hoss echoed. "I think I got hit on the head. It hurts something fierce. I can't remember that…" he sadly winced. "Should I know where Griff is?"

"Take it easy, Hoss," Adam calmed. "We'll explain on the way. But first, we need to get you to shelter."

Issac gasped when he finally heard enough of the conversation to understand what was going on. "Griff? Griff King?" he laughed. "This must be my lucky day, fella," he said to the horse. Left no choice, Chubb begrudgingly walked forward. "So let's see how far my luck can take me." As Issac watched Adam and Candy help Hoss up onto Sport and lead him down the road in an effort to find shelter and regroup, he hoped that the three men would bring him to Griff.

Bidding his time and staying out of sight, Issac followed them. "Yes, siree," he repeated. "My lucky day."

* * *

Two hours had passed, and Jamie had been true to his word. He did not move a muscle and concentrated on Griff's still form. The red stain on Griff's shirt was a bright reminder of Jamie's earlier mistake. The sixteen-year-old could not stop replaying the day's events in his head. _If that bullet moved over a few inches, I would've shot him right through the heart!_ Self-loathing and guilt washed over Jamie as he protectively fulfilled his promise and watched over Griff.

The sound of riders approaching snapped Jamie out of his dark thoughts. He slowly stood up, ignoring the crick in his lower back that had come from riding too long, and peered out the window. Nothing. With a sigh, he turned to look at the older teen who was still asleep. Again, the sound of horses' hooves reached his keen ears. _Somebody's out there! And we need all the help we can get._

Before he made his next move, Jamie bit his lip and hesitated. One the one hand, he knew that should keep his promise and stay in the shack with Griff. On the other hand, Griff was in a really bad way and while the rider outside could be Joe, he didn't figure he'd be back so soon.

Once outside, Jamie circled the perimeter of the small shack, hoping to catch the attention of whoever was out there. In his desperation to seek urgent help, he didn't realize how far he had ventured away from the shack.

* * *

Griff weakly stirred and tried to take in his surroundings. Slowly, the memory of the last day came back to Griff and he indulged himself in a groan. He licked his dry lips and swallowed. "Joe?" he instinctively called out, hoping for some more water. Only silence answered Griff, which surprised him greatly. "Joe?" he repeated, propping himself up on his elbows. "Jamie? Are you there?" His surprise morphed into worry, and suddenly, a desperate need to find Joe and Jamie overcame Griff. His memory was still a little hazy, but he knew they were in dire straits so he wanted to make sure his friends were okay.

Summoning all of his strength, Griff forced himself up to a sitting position with the intention to stand up and locate his friends. The effort proved to be too much for Griff and he pitched forward, smacking into the floor with a slam, jarring his ankle and sending a white-hot pain shooting up and down his leg. Resolving to get back on the bed in just a moment, Griff let his eyes slip close and remained at an awkward angle with the top half of his body on the floor and the limbs still hanging off of the bed.

* * *

Disappointed at his meager prey but happy he was able to bring something back, Joe tethered Cochise in the front of the line shack and strode through the front door. What he found shocked him. Griff was precariously splayed on the floor and bed while Jamie was nowhere to be found.

"Griff!" Joe cried as he sprang forward to inspect Griff. Finding no additional injuries, the older man gingerly wrapped his arms around Griff's shoulders and placed him back on the bed. The wounded teen let out a heavy sigh as his blue orbs fluttered beneath his eyelids. Joe brushed the back of his hand against Griff's check to feel for a fever. A low-grade temperature had started to develop, but as long as it did not increase, Joe knew Griff would be fine once they got him home where he belonged. With Griff taken care of, Joe moved on to finding out where Jamie was. A thousand scenarios played in Joe's mind and his worry only increased.

"Easy, boy," Joe softly crooned, knowing that Griff was beyond hearing him. "I'm back now. There's nothing to worry about."

Since his audience was unconscious, Joe figured his lie would be forgiven.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks again to all readers, reviewers, and alerters. This chapter is shorter than our previous, but we hope you enjoy it just the same.**

* * *

Chapter 8:

"There's an old shack not too far from here. I used to do a little exploring when Pa took me hunting while I was growing up," Adam suggested.

Candy remained stoically silent. He didn't want to think of the possibilities that Griff, Joe and Jamie had come to harm.

When at last the run down cabin came into full view, the three men were surprised and relieved to see a familiar looking horse secured outside. Even in the distance, they were certain the the diamond marking on the mare's head belonged to Jamie's horse, Fly. Just as Candy was about to run his horse at a gallop, Adam called out, "Wait! Hoss was attacked nearby. We don't know if Jamie is alone in there. There's no sign of the others either." He noted the crease in Candy's brow as he came to the realization that there should be three horses and not one. "Let's ride in real easy and keep a look out for any sign of trouble."

"You're right," Candy agreed. Through his immense relief he failed to take into account that neither Cochise nor Thunder were present.

The three men slowly approached the shack, all the while staying vigilant.

Unbeknowst to them, Issac had been following on their trail and, since he could travel faster than the three men, had made it to the shack before them. Staying out of sight, Issac circled the small cabin to avoid Jamie's investigative walk.

* * *

As Candy and Adam escorted Hoss to the front door, the foreman drew his gun, just in case what they found beyond the door was bad news. Adam turned the doorknob and suddenly found himself looking down the barrel of his little brother's gun.

"Joe, Joe it's us!" Adam said, putting his hands up in a surrendering gesture. "Me, Candy and Hoss. Put that gun away."

Joe instantly relaxed and placed the pistol back into the holster at his hip. "Adam. Oh boy, am I glad to see you. All of you!" he breathed. "Hoss, what happened after we lost you on the trail?"

The paler man's headache had been relentless and all he wanted to do was sit down. Candy spoke before Hoss could. "He was bushwhacked. We're still trying to figure that out. Where are Jamie and G-" Candy's eyes spotted a still body on the bed and his heart skipped a beat when he recognized the unruly, black curls that contrasted greatly against the pale sheets of the bed. "Oh my God! Griff!"

Just then, Jamie threw the door open and entered the shack with a disappointed frown. He had found nothing on his walk and had accidentally broken his word to Joe and Griff.

"Jamie, where were you?" Joe hotly demanded before his younger brother took two steps. "I walk in here and I see Griff falling off the bed and I can't find you! These bites wounds wounds are bleeding again. You better have one hell of an explanation for this."

"Mmm… Hey!" Griff harshly rasped out. He rubbed his eyes with his good arm as he cleared his throat. "No more yellin'," he ordered, his voice sounding much stronger than it had been since his injury. "Some folks is tryin' to get a little shut-eye 'round here." Shifting slightly, Griff clumsily got himself into a sitting position. Noticing his movement, Jamie quickly fixed the pillow so Griff could rest his back against it. "Thanks, Jamie," Griff sincerely smiled. The sixteen-year-old avoided eye contact with Griff, unable to face the disappointment and hatred he assumed he would find there.

"Seems like you've got more color in your cheeks," Joe noted cautiously, ignoring Jamie for the moment. He could not tell if it was the fever or healing, but he had to admit that seeing Griff more active and engaged was comforting to see.

"We got anything to eat around here?" Griff asked timidly. A presence of appetite was certainly a good sign. "I feel like I could…" Griff rubbed at his eyes and took a double take. "Candy? Adam? Hoss?" he questioned, wondering if he was still asleep.

Candy instantly knelt down by Griff's side and placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "I'm right here, buddy." Craning his neck to catch Joe's eye, he questioned, "What the hell happened?"

Joe ran his hand through his thick hair, as he tried to find a place to begin. "Griff was shot up at Montpelier Gorge…."

"What?! Who-who shot him? Was it Issac? Jesus, I should've never - " Candy fired up at once without waiting to hear the whole story.

"Candy, no….not Issac. Please just...just list…" Griff breathlessly pleaded, reaching out and gripping the sleeve of Candy's red shirt.

The foreman turned his attention back to the injured young man and started to peel back his blood stained shirt to inspect the wound. "Lemme take a look at ya."

"M'fine,"Griff mumbled then when he saw Candy wasn't listening he said more forcefully, "I'm fine!"

"Candy, it was an accident. And besides, Issac's in prison," Joe tried once again to reason with his friend.

"Not anymore,"Adam cut in.

"What?" Joe gave his oldest brother a look of disbelief.

"That's right. Now the bastard's loose! Shoulda hung him when they had the chance!"Candy spat out bitterly.

"Candy... wasn't… wasn't Issac," Griff gasped, barely hanging on to consciousness. His grip on Candy's sleeve slackened and he lay back against the pillows.

The unbearable guilt weighed heavily on Jamie's young shoulders. No longer able to contain himself, he blurted out, "I did it. I shot Griff."


	9. Chapter 9

**A hearty thank you to all our loyal readers and reviewers!**

* * *

Chapter 9:

All eyes zoomed in on Jamie and the teen wished it were him that was lying on the bed and not Griff.

"Whoa… What do you mean?" Candy asked slowly, trying to comprehend what had gone down at the gorge.

Jamie opened his mouth to explain but Joe beat him to it. "It was an accident. Jamie took a shot at the wolf we'd been trailing and he didn't see Griff. When I got there, the wolf was attacking Griff. I killed it but…." Joe recounted as calmly as he could.

Candy looked away and cursed under his breath.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it! Honest!" Jamie cried out, his voice cracking as he repented over and over again. "I wish it were me. I'd do anything to trade places with Griff!"

Candy rose from his position and walked over to Jamie who stood rooted to the spot, unable to move, while at the same time preparing himself for whatever punishment was about to be rained down on him.

The foreman stood in front of the youth and took in his red-rimmed eyes and the guilt that marred across his features.

Adam prepared to step in in case Candy was about to lash out and do something he'd regret later. Being the eldest brother, he had watched over his siblings growing up making mistakes and admittedly he knew he had made his fair share of them too. Jamie was a good kid and he didn't believe the youngster meant any harm to come to Griff. Whatever happened on that gorge, it was obvious that Jamie felt torn up about it.

Candy heaved out an unsteady breath then turned away from the boy and refocused his attention on Griff.

Jamie looked down on the floor, his chest burning and his mind reeling. Hoss's meaty hand rested on his shoulder and he instantly shook it off.

"Jamie…" Hoss began in a low voice, but the youngster turned on his heel and stormed outside.

"I'll go and talk to him," Adam said, following Jamie out the door.

"Leave me alone, Adam," Jamie demanded, scrubbing at his eyes. "You don't understand."

"I understand enough to know you're blaming yourself," the oldest Cartwright countered. He looked up at the full moon and admired the clear night.

"Reckon there ain't no one else to blame," Jamie said quietly. He felt Adam drape an arm around his shoulders and Jamie fought the urge not to press his face into his brother's chest.

"How 'bout Griff?" Adam shrugged, eliciting the response he had expected. "After all, he didn't know enough to get out of the way.

Jamie's voice raised an octave and he glared at Adam. "It wasn't his fault!" he yelped, confused Adam would even think such a thing. "He didn't see me!"

"Just like you didn't see him," Adam pointed out much more warmly. "So try not to beat yourself up about this. No one blames you." Adam ignored Candy's previous actions, knowing that the foreman was not thinking clearly. "You have to be strong and help Griff get better, okay?"

Jamie swallowed thickly and nodded. He was not convinced by Adam's logic, but the sixteen year old also did not want to distract attention away from Griff. Together, the oldest and youngest Cartwright reentered the house and joined up with the rest of the family. They found Hoss was sitting in the corner of the room, fast asleep. His head wound and long walk had certainly taken its toll on him.

"So… How about some food?" Griff repeated as Candy adjusted the jacket that kept Griff warm. "Looks like we could all use a meal, huh?" he pressed, trying to ignore the bout of dizziness that overcame him. Candy, however, was attune to Griff's discomfort.

Jamie took a step forward, wanting to ease Griff's pain, but Candy's presence unnerved him. "I… There's a fire goin'," he meekly offered.

Candy nodded, not making eye contact with Jamie. It wasn't that he condemned the boy. He just needed some time to process the fact that he almost lost Griff to a foolish accident. An accident that Jamie was responsible for and maybe could've avoided.

Jamie walked over to Joe and offered to help him prepare a meal for them. To Jamie's disappointment, Joe declined.

"I've got it. Go and get some rest. You need it,"J oe said with a small smile of assurance.

Adam decided to let Hoss but he needed some answers as to how things had gone horribly wrong. He approached Joe and began lending a helping hand. "What happened? I mean after the accident? How did you get separated from Hoss?"

"Well, we decided to split up to trap that wolf but a sand storm hit around the time Griff got hurt. We couldn't find Hoss so we rode on, knowing that we needed find shelter and I knew that Hoss was familiar enough with the area so I figured he'd be alright on his own. Where'd you find him?"

"Just before Montpelier Gorge. Looked like he was trying to find his way back home. Someone bushwhacked him, probably took his horse and rifle but he hasn't been able to tell us exactly what happened. He took a nasty hit to the back of his head. He can't even remember what he was doing out there. It's all still hazy. Hopefully it'll start coming back to him soon," Adam explained.

"And Issac? You think he might be out there? Think it's possible he was the one who attacked Hoss?" Joe suggested.

"Honestly? I don't know. I would have thought he'd want to lay low after escaping prison. Maybe ride on out to Mexico. If he was the one who took out Hoss, he'll be armed and dangerous."

Joe nodded thoughtfully, disgusted at the possibility that Issac may have been the one who bushwhacked their brother. He chewed on his lip and looked back at the wounded ranch hand lying in the bed. "I'm worried about Griff," he admitted out loud for the first time. "The bullet was lodged under a bone. It took…" Joe paused, trying to push the image of cutting into Griff's body far out of his mind. "It took a lot of probing to get the bullet. And that wolf clawed him apart. Did you see his ankle?" Joe asked rhetorically. "Other than cleaning those wounds, I- I don't know what else to do."

Adam listened patiently, wishing his brother had not had to endure such a traumatic event. "Any sign of rabies in the wolf?"

"No," Joe instantly reported. "No, no foaming at the mouth or anything."

"That's something good, at least," the man dressed in black noted. "We'll do our best with Griff, you know that." Adam reached over, pulling the rabbit out of the fire. "Careful. You're gonna burn dinner," he joked with a small smile.

Soon, they had managed to get Griff to take a few bites of food before dropping back into a deep slumber. After the injured teen had succumbed to his exhaustion, the five men had found a place on the floor and each joined their young friend in sleep so they could get an early start back to the Ponderosa in the morning.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for sticking with us, wonderful readers/reviewers! We present to you the next installment.**

* * *

Chapter 10:

Prowling around the cabin, Issac peaked through the dingy window to find five men sleeping on the floor and one moving restlessly on the bed. His eyes widened when he saw the state that bad Griff was in. "Looks like you got into a bit o' trouble, don't it, boy? he mocked, stepping carefully through the window to lean over Griff's bed. "I've been waitin' a long time to see you again…" Figuring that Griff would be sound asleep, Issac took his time to savor the moment before murdering Griff.

Even in his foggy mind, his years in prison had still conditioned Griff to sleep lightly and he dragged himself out of his slumber. Before Griff could let out a yell, he felt Issac's strong fingers pressing against his windpipe. Fighting as best he could, Griff kicked and shook the bed in an effort to wake anybody up to help him. Shocked that Griff was not unconscious, Issac jumped back. Knowing it was only a matter of time before someone else woke up and caught him, Issac slipped back out the window. "Next time, boy! Next time, there won't be any Cartwrights ta save yer hide!"

Griff gasped for breath and tried to get up from the bed. "H'lp…" he whispered.

Candy and Joe quickly roused and immediately lit the lantern.

The protective foreman called out, "Griff?" as he rushed to the bed. "What's the matter, buddy?"

"Issac," Griff whimpered, his shadow forming against the wall as the lantern illuminated the area. "He was h-h-here. Iss-ssac. Tried to str-strangle me," Griff explained, failing to quell his shakiness. He twisted violently as fear rose up in him. Memories of being kidnapped by Issac months ago flooded Griff's thoughts and he soon found it difficult to distinguish past from present. "Adam? Issac..." All of his moving around tore at Griff's wounds and he cringed. "Oh, oh God…"

Candy quickly put a hand on Griff's forehead. He could feel a slight fever, but not one that should be causing strange dreams or hallucinations. "Griff, Issac's not here. It's just us, okay? You were dreaming."

Joe nodded and added, "We're in the cabin, remember? You got hurt hunting and we'll take you home in the morning. At first light."

"No, I saw…" Griff shook his head, frustrated that no one was listening to him. "I felt his…" Griff brokenly insisted. "It was Issac. He's here!"

Under his breath so only Joe could hear him, Candy mentioned, "Maybe he heard us talkin' bout Issac's escape and that caused a nightmare. There's no way he have gotten past all five of us."

"And why did he not try to kill all of us?" Joe pondered.

"If he's unarmed, he'd want to go about it quietly. And if he does have a gun, he'd likely wake us all up the moment he fires the first shot,"Adam theorized.

"You're not seriously considering the possibility that he was really here, are you?" Joe asked skeptically.

Adam stepped up to Griff's bedside, leaned down and checked the teen's throat. "Well, if it wasn't Issac, it was someone. These marks on Griff's neck didn't just appear out of thin air. Someone _was_ here."

"The window's open!" Jamie cried out, hurrying toward it when firm hands pulled him away.

"Get away from the window!" Adam ordered, fearful that whoever had snuck in and attacked Griff was still out there. Drawing his pistol out from his holster, he flattened himself against the wall and peered out the window carefully while the others waited with bated breath. When it became clear that the intruder was well and truly gone, Adam exhaled and closed the window. "One of us should stay awake tonight, just in case. We'll take it in shifts."

"I'll take first shift," Candy quickly decided.

"I'll take second. Joe?"Adam rounded on his younger brother.

"I'll take the last," Joe agreed. "I still can't believe it. Issac." He shook his head, not fully believing what was happening.

"Get some rest, kiddo," Adam patted Jamie's shoulder.

Feeling useless, Jamie returned to his corner and tucked himself into his bedroll, though it was a long time before sleep finally claimed him and even then, he was plagued with fitful dreams.

Candy spent his shift changing Griff's dressing and keeping an eye on his steadily rising fever. He'd lost more blood when the shoulder wound reopened after the incident with the intruder. His ankle was also inflamed and the swelling worried the foreman deeply. Using a damp cloth, he did his best to cool him down and moistened his lips periodically to help hydrate him. He cursed the youth's luck and misfortune. _Why did life have to be so cruel?_ he silently pondered.

Griff's eyes fluttered open. "Thunder's gone," he mumbled weakly.

"What?" Candy tried to grasp Griff's sudden announcement.

"Thunder. M'horse. He's gone, Candy. The... the storm. I don't know... where he went. He's gone…" the youth croaked. He swallowed hard then took a deep, unsteady breath.

"We'll find 'im, buddy. Just get some rest," Candy brushed his hands through Griff's hair and tried to soothe the ache he must be feeling over the loss of his pride and joy. His companion. He felt Griff relax and saw his eyes droop shut once again.

With an audible sigh, the young man felt sleep finally wash over him.

* * *

Camped out under the stars, Issac Warren mentally kicked himself for hastily acting out on his thirst for vengeance. He knew he needed to formulate a rational plan if he was going to execute his murderous plot and make a quick get away. He needed money. That meant he needed the Cartwrights. But he was no match for them if they were together. There was also going to be no way of getting to Griff anymore. Not after what he almost got caught doing. He needed to take something else that the Cartwrights needed. But what did they have that they couldn't do without if he took it away from them? Issac wracked his brain and tried to remember everything he had learnt from following them throughout the day. He had the big fella's horse but they know he won't harm the animal since he would need it to get far, far away. No, he needed to take something else.

 _But what?_

A smirk curled the corner of the convict's mouth when he figured out exactly what the Cartwrights needed the most. It was quite simple really, now that he thought about it. All he had to do was think about what Griff so desperately needed right at that moment. He'd learnt the hard way months ago that the boy was clearly important to them, though he couldn't for the life of him understand why. Getting to Griff was out of the question. It was now just a matter of keeping the one thing he would need to survive away from him. The town doctor. The only doctor for miles around and he knew just where to find him. But he needed to move before they did. Just before dawn, he decided. _Them righteous Cartwright are gonna pay dearly, yes sirree. Doc's gotta be worth enough money to live on for a while and he'd be givin' me the time I need to make a head start to Mexico. After I double cross the Cartwrights and put a bullet in the good doctor's head, that is. Without the doctor, Griff's good as dead. It's all coming together now._

* * *

When light started to peak through the cabin, Joe and Adam were already up and figuring out their next plan of action. They knew they had to get to the Ponderosa as fast as possible, especially if Issac was prowling around somewhere close to them. Unfortunately, having six people and only four horses was conundrum that they did not have much time to solve.

"If only we had Thunder and Chubb here," sighed Adam. "That'd solve everything."

"Don't let Griff hear you mention that name," Candy warned. "He woke up twice last night talking about how much he missed that horse." It was difficult for all three men to be so helpless to ease Griff's anguish. "It damn near broke my heart hearing the kid talk about Thunder."

"He did the same thing with me," Adam added. "I don't have the heart to tell him…" Joe shifted uncomfortably and stroke Cochise's mane. "It's just… Chubb was stolen, y'know? Which means he's with someone, which means we can get him back. In the meantime, we know Chubb is being fed and taken care of because he's being ridden. But Thunder is just wanderin' out there alone." Adam bowed his head. "We have to be realistic."

Joe pursed his lips and sucked on the inside of his cheek as he listened to Adam.

"Anyway, we need someone to ride for the doc to meet us at the house," Adam explained as he helped saddle the four horses with Joe and Candy. "Which horse is the fastest?"

"Normally," Joe answered, adjusting a saddle cinch. "I'd say Cochise, but between the storm and getting spooked by that wolf, he's getting tired. Fly, too," Joe examined objectively. "So our next best bet is Sport."

Adam gave his mount an affectionate pat. "That's just what I was thinking. And I was also thinking you'd be the one to ride him." Adam handed Joe the reins.

"Me?" Joe said, puzzled.

"Yes, you," Adam insisted. "This trip has been hard on all of you. You've done a great job taking care of Jamie and Griff, but it's going to be hours before the rest of us get home. With those wounds, the poor kid can't handle more than a walk or a trot in the saddle. Candy and I are fresher than you, plus we'll have Jamie to help." Joe opened his mouth to answer, but he could not find any way to refute Adam. "Go. It'll be a tough ride now, but this way, you'll get home in time to rest up from all this."

Joe climbed on top of Sport and gave a quick tip of his hat. "Take care of them," he added, despite knowing that Adam would do all he could. "I'll meet you back at the house with Doc Martin as soon as I can!"

As Joe departed, Candy and Hoss came out to meet Adam just outside. After Adam explained where Joe had gone, he looked at the three horses in front of him. "We've got three horses and five men," Adam summarized. "What's the best way to do this?"

"Apple is the freshest horse left," Candy volunteered. "So Griff and I will ride double on him. He's sturdy enough to handle both of us for the long ride." As if on cue, the proud horse lifted his front foot and plopped in onto the loosely-packed ground.

"Hoss can take Cochise,"supplied Adam. "Jamie and I can ride on Fly. We can even take turns walking if needed."

Looking much more alert and focused than yesterday, Hoss joined the two men outside after hearing their voices. "I'm fit enough to walk or ride. Don't let me stop us from gittin' home."

"It's already settled, Hoss" Candy dismissed. "But you are looking better than yesterday. How's your head?"

"Feelin' good," the rotund man answered. "I always said I got a thick skull." He was not feeling dizzy or tired and, despite being unable to remember the last few weeks, Hoss took that as a good sign. "So let's go."

"I've almost got everything packed in here!" Jamie answered as he waddled through the door carrying everyone's bedrolls and survival supplies in one heavy load. The young boy tried his best to help prepare for their departure.

Adam smiled, approving of Jamie's work. "Good job, little brother." Hoss could see Candy was purposefully ignoring the youngest member of their party, but he chalked up the foreman's coldness to his worry for Griff. "We'll leave just as soon as we get these horses watered. Why don't you go wake Griff up and let him know we're leaving?"

Jamie did not even bother to answer Adam. Instead, with a mission in mind, he strode back into the cabin and made his way to Griff's bedside. Jamie was careful to avoid Griff's injuries and gingerly shook the sleeping man. "Griff? Griff, we're gonna head out soon," Jamie informed. "Please, Griff, I… I need you to wake up now." The injured man's head limply flopped back and forth with Jamie's movement, but it was clear that he was in a deep sleep and nothing would rouse him. "Griff?" Jamie tried again to no avail.

Griff murmured something unintelligible as his head lolled across his neck and his right hand grasped at the sheet, curling around the material in a vice-like grip. His eyes opened for a brief second and Jamie was taken aback at how much brighter they looked than last night.

Embarrassed that he would have to go back out to his family and tell them he was unable to execute the simple task, Jamie popped his head out of the door and cleared his throat. "It's Griff," he said shakily. "He won't wake up."


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks to our loyal readers and reviewers! Any and all feedback is truly an inspiration for us. Enjoy this next chapter! And let's hope Joe and company learn a valuable lesson - always be on guard and take shifts during the night ;-)**

* * *

Chapter 11:

"Oh no…" Candy whispered, running into the shack with Adam and Hoss right on his heel. The foreman placed his hand across the ex-con's forehead. A blazing heat met Candy's fingertips and he raggedly inhaled, sliding his hand down to feel Griff's throat to check his pulse. It was there, thankfully, but much too erratic for Candy's comfort. "Griff, come on, we have to go, buddy."

Griff stirred and let out a moan before opening up his eyes as he felt gentle yet sure hands shake his good shoulder. "Candy?"

"We gotta go, get ya outta here. You understand? Come on, easy now. Easy." Candy placed Griff's good arm around his shoulder and carefully lifted the youth up off the bed. Adam hurried to Griff's other side and helped steady him, being mindful of the damaged shoulder at the same time.

"Getting outta here?" Griff slowly repeated, trying to process the obvious piece of information. "Going home?"

"That's right, boy," Hoss encouraged from behind. "So we can get you to a doc. Think you can sit on a saddle?"

"Saddle?" Griff asked hopefully, a fraction of the normal glint in his eyes returning. "Didja find 'im?"

Adam kept a steady expression. "Not yet," he answered stoically. "But we've got to go right now. Think you can handle Apple?"

"Yeah, 'course I can." Griff sagged backwards, although Adam and Candy knew that it had nothing to do with his health. "But we gotta find Thunder soon or else…"

When he heard footsteps and low voices, Jamie quickly opened the door so Adam and Candy could help move Griff as quickly as possible.

Together, Adam and Candy walked their injured friend out of the shack.

"His foot!" Jamie shrieked when he laid eyes on the parolee's exposed left ankle. The boot had been removed and the material cut away, leaving the raw wounds visible. Faint red streaks that were not there last night lined Griff's ankle and trailed down to the middle of his foot.

Hoss carefully turned Jamie's face away from the ugly sight and gave a short shake of his head. He knew that if Griff was lucid enough to be assisted to walk with the two men he considered to be his brothers, there was a chance Griff would overhear Jamie. Not wanting to worry Griff about the deteriorating state of his foot, Hoss whispered, "Not now," to his little brother. "I'll explain later."

Jamie quickly shut his mouth, but he was unable to pry his eyes away from Griff's stumbling movements. When Adam and Candy stopped in front of Candy's horse, Jamie took hold of Apple's bridle so the animal would not move.

As the men helped their ailing friend up into Apple's saddle, Candy climbed up behind him. Once they had Griff steadily propped up. Hoss quickly mounted Cochise, softly explaining to the pinto why Joe was absent from the group. Adam extended his hand to aid Jamie in climbing behind him, but the teenager stubbornly and successfully mounted without any help.

"Alright, let's go," Adam declared, nudging his heels against Fly's flank. Together, the party headed out and slowly made their way back to the ranch they called home.

* * *

Joe was pleased he was making good time and reached Virginia City early that afternoon which meant he could be back at the Ponderosa by the time the others arrived with Griff. He dismounted from Adam's sturdy horse and secured it to the post, giving it a quick pat of gratitude. Heading over to the doctor's office, he failed to notice a figure watching his every move from a nearby alley.

Lurking in the shadows, Isaac had been waiting impatiently for the physician to return to his office from his ride out to Reno. The news of the Dr. Martin's untimely absence had put a hole in Isaac's plan. He had hoped to capture him before the Cartwrights reached him first but now he was going to have to make a slight adjustment.

* * *

Joe stepped into Dr. Martin's office and was met by a young nurse who informed him that the doctor was due back from Reno at any moment.

"Thank you. I'll wait here for 'im," Joe replied with a slight edge of urgency in his tone.

The nurse excused herself and Joe took a seat with his eyes glued to the front door, ready to jump to his feet as soon as the doctor walked in. Pulling out his pocket watch he checked the the time periodically.


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you so much to all those who take the time to read and review! To our guest reviewers:**

 **Kirsten, thank you and we are glad you enjoyed "A Hard Lesson Learnt" and have found this story enjoyable too.**

 **And Fergus, thank you also for your feedback. While Griff and Candy are characters we both enjoy writing about, somehow our muses have managed to find a place in our fan fiction for Jamie as well. There are so many wonderful stories n this site by very talented writers featuring our favorite Cartwrights but very little can be found for Griff, Candy and Jamie and we are just glad to be able to contribute for their fans. We do try to include as many characters as we can to be fair ;-)**

 **And now...**

* * *

Chapter 12:

Griff's reserve started to crumble as the ride began to take a toll on his injuries. His ankle throbbed in tune with the wound in his shoulder and the blood loss made him thirsty. "W-water," he croaked, unable to withstand the discomfort any longer.

"Okay, okay just hang in there Griff. We'll get you some water." Candy signalled to the others that it was time for a short break.

Getting the injured youth up into the saddle wasn't easy so they decided to keep him where he was with Candy holding him steady while Jamie held out his canteen for him.

"Whoa, easy, easy!" Candy pulled the canteen away from Griff's lips as the young man started coughing and sputtering.

Griff lurched forward and Candy had to act quickly to make sure his friend did not tumble to the ground. "Thanks," Griff mumbled. Candy was unsure if Griff was thanking him for the water or the grip, and his worry doubled.

"As long as we're stopped, I'm gonna clean out that bite wound again," Adam suggested as he swung down from Fly. "Hoss, will you give Candy a hand in keeping Griff steady?"

Summoned by his older brother, Hoss took his place beside Apple and hooked his hands around Griff's thigh to help Candy keep Griff propped up and still. Candy tightened his grip around the younger man and prayed that this additional round of cleaning would be enough to ward off infection.

"Brace yourself," Adam warned as he dampened the cloth and firmly grabbed Griff's leg just below the knee. "This is gonna hurt."

At Adam's first touch, Griff's entire body contorted and he bit his lip to keep himself from groaning. That tactic only worked for the first touch, though. As Adam began to wipe the wound as best he could under such harrowing circumstances, Griff could not keep himself from uttering a pained, guttural noise that caused a flock of buzzards to join in with their haunting caws.

"It's okay. You're okay," Candy assured him and Griff arched his back against Candy for support.

Once he completed the task, Adam retracted his hand and let go of Griff's leg. "All done. You did well, Griff. Really well." Remarkably, Griff was able to stay conscious and met Adam's face. The eldest Cartwright son offered his friend a small smile, and the gesture was greatly appreciated.

"Adam… Candy..." addressed Griff, who stared at the sky. "The w-wolf... Careful of th' wolf..."

Hoss put a comforting hand on Griff's right knee so he would not cause the boy any further pain. "The wolf's dead, Griff," he reminded, thinking back to Joe's detached recount of prying the wolf off of Griff and shooting it at point blank range. "Joe done killed him. Remember?"

"Hmm..." Griff mulled over when fragments of the last two days came back to him in a haze, but his memory did not seem to be in the right order and it left him confused. "Oh yeah." An oppressive silence fell over the men until Griff, who seemed unaware of how much collective worry he was causing, spoke again. "Umm… w-what… what happened again?" the feverish teen wondered aloud. A chill ran through the other men when they heard Griff ask the innocent question.

"You got shot. It was an accident and then you were bit by the wolf we'd been hunting. You remember, buddy?" Candy prompted patiently.

Griff shut his eyes momentarily and was rewarded with patchy fragments of his memory resurfacing. _Thunder!_ "M'horse? Gotta find 'im. Gotta go back."

Candy stole a glance in Adam's way and was met with the same concern that played in his mind. There was no doubt now that Griff was running a high fever. The heat radiating from the young man's body as he leaned against him in the saddle coupled with his delirious state confirmed what they had been hoping to avoid - infection. "Yeah, we'll send someone to go find Thunder just as soon as we get you home."

Griff's incoherent response was lost on Candy and the foreman decided to remain silent. The sun had already dipped low over the horizon which meant it was only a matter of a couple of hours before the sun would set and darkness blanketed the land in its dark shroud. Candy gave Apple's flank a gentle squeeze, nudging the horse to move faster as they rode through the Ponderosa toward the small speck in the distance that he knew was the main house, standing proud and tall.

As the companions rode past the gates, they sought Adam's horse, Sport, but he was no where in sight.

Jamie opened his mouth to voice the very question that was on the tips of everyone's tongues but one look of warning from Adam and a small shake of Candy's head closed it again. They didn't want to upset Griff by getting worked up over the possible reasons for Joe being held up in Virginia City.

Hoss noticed the silent exchange and sidled up next to Jamie. He had been worried the boy was so quiet, and he had a good idea why when he remembered how Jamie had reacted upon seeing Griff's wounded ankle. The two brothers hung back slightly, out of earshot from the other men.

Always one to speak his mind, Jamie took the opportunity like Hoss knew he would. "His ankle, Hoss," Jamie whispered. "It was horrible. So dark and red…it barely looked human!"

"I reckon that was a mite scary to look at," sympathized Hoss.

Jamie nodded, his brow wrinkling. "When I looked at it, all I could see - all I could think about - was that wolf tearing Griff apart. I couldn't even move, Hoss! I didn't help him, I didn't call out." He absently ran his fingers through the horse's dusty mane. "He's gonna lose his foot for sure, ain't he?" When Hoss did not answer immediately, Jamie repeated with more force, "Ain't he?!"

"Now, jist hang on," asserted Hoss. "Don't go getting all worked up. It's… a possibility," he confirmed. "But a doc hasn't even taken a proper look at Griff's ankle, so we don't know anything. No reason to start thinking the worst."

"How can I not, Hoss?" Jamie sighed.

"Because it don't make things better and all it does is hurt Griff!" the older man burst, shutting the youth up for the time being. "Hearing you talk like that can be real scary for Griff, 'specially when he's out of his head." Seeing the instant effect on the boy made Hoss soften his tone. "If you want to help Griff, you have to stay positive. He needs you to do that. All of us."

With a rock-hard resolve inspired by Hoss's short explanation, Jame vowed, "I will."

* * *

The door to the main house opened when they reached the barn. The smile which Ben Cartwright had carried on his face as he walked out to greet the riders faded away quickly when he saw the sombre expressions on the men's faces, the state in which their newest ranch hand was brought in and the devastation written on Jamie's young face. The fact that Joe wasn't among them and two horses were missing, did not bode well at all. "Adam! What happened? Where's Joseph?"

"Joe went to fetch Doc Martin in Virginia City. Griff here's been hurt," Hoss quickly explained. He climbed down from the saddle, leaning against the horse for support. While his memory was coming together, sudden movements still brought about waves of dizziness that threatened to bring him to his knees.

Hoss's unsteady movements was not lost on his father who reached his side and gripped his arm to steady him. "What happened?"

"I got... er... bushwhacked, but I'm fine, Pa. Don'tcha worry bout me. It's Griff who needs help here. There was an accident, ya see," Hoss began, though he was unsure as to how he was going to explain it all when he was still trying to piece it altogether himself.

"He's been shot, Pa. And wolf bit," Adam cut in as he helped Candy bring Griff down from his perch on Apple. He looked up and caught his father's look of confusion and anger. "We'll explain everything inside."


	13. Chapter 13

**Thank you, dear readers. We do thrive on your support and feedback. Please enjoy this next chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 13:

Ben was at a loss of what to make of the situation. Here he had an injured ranch hand, a son who had just been bushwhacked and there were still two horses that were unaccounted for. The only thing that made sense to him was Joe riding out to fetch the doctor. With a heavy sigh, he walked alongside Hoss as they hurried into the house.

"Put him on the couch. Those stairs are gonna kill 'im," Candy instructed as he and Adam led the teen to the couch and laid him down slowly.

"I put some water on to boil. I'll get some clean bandages and blankets," Ben told the room at large, not really certain if anyone had paid attention as the occupants were preoccupied with the two patients. _Someone better tell me exactly what's going on when I get back_ , he wanted to add. With one last look at Griff and Hoss, he quickly set about to collect what he perceived was needed for the injured men.

Jamie sheepishly entered the house, caught up in the whirlwind of getting everyone settled and up to speed. "I took care of the horses," he explained as Ben returned.

"The guest room is all set for him and the water's almost ready. I'd have Hop Sing make you some food, but he's been out on the range with the hands for the last three days. With everyone gone, I figured I could manage. I, oh, that's not important now. I think Hop Sing left some sandwiches for me just in case. You all must be starved. An- Jamie!" Ben noticed as his son came through the front door looking weary and worn. Ben was shaken by how nervous Jamie looked. Usually, the sixteen year-old could be counted on to keep a clear head in emergencies. Making a mental note to talk to Jamie after everything quieted down, the father moved to the couch, wanting to get a better look at his young employee. "We better get Griff upstairs now. It'll be easier to take care of him in bed." Ben inspected Griff, taking in the obvious injuries as well as some miscellaneous cuts and scrapes from the wolf fight. "It'll be hard, but he'll be more comfortable."

Candy and Adam nodded, each taking one of Griff's arms and hoisting the young man up to his feet. With all of the movement, Griff began to wake up and he tried to take in his surroundings. "Home," he announced weakly. "We're home?"

"That's right, pal," Candy soothed. "We made it. Now let's get you up into a real bed, huh?" At Candy's signal, he and Adam began to guide Griff to the stairs. Griff limped along as best he could. "There are some steps now. Just lean on us."

By some miracle, the three men got up the first step without a hitch. When they started to move up the second stair, however, Griff's was not strong enough to hold his foot up in mid-air. He let out a startled yelp at the burning pain that multiplied when his foot grazed the stair. "W-wait!" he cried out. "I j'st need a break." Griff leaned nearly all of his weight into Adam, who was on his right side, so the swollen foot would not come in contact with anything else. He breathed heavily and tried to control the overwhelming pain. "Gimme a sec…" he begged as his forehead rolled into the crook of the Cartwright's neck.

Bearing most of Griff's weight, Adam allowed Griff to use him as a post for balance. Adam could see that Griff was tiring rapidly and five seconds were not going to replenish the injured youth's strength. "This isn't working," he commented under his breath. Keeping his chest square so Griff would not fall over, Adam squatted down and hooked his arm under Griff's knees. Sensing what Adam was going to do, Candy snaked past Adam to make sure the door was open and the bed turned down. In one fell swoop, Griff found himself horizontal again and cradled in Adam's arms. "I've gotcha, boy." Griff was about to protest, but when his ankle wounds throbbed relentlessly, his shoulder injury pulled at his aching muscles, and his head felt so comfortable using Adam's chest as a pillow, the nineteen year-old shut his eyes and limply bounced along as he was carried up the stairs.

* * *

Not wanting to get in anyone's way Jamie decided to stay downstairs. He peered through the window, hoping to catch Joe riding back with the doctor any moment now. The sun was beginning to set which only heightened the youth's anxiety.

Once Ben saw that Adam and Candy had reached the top landing carrying Griff, he turned his attention to his other two sons. He made his way over to the couch where Hoss has sat himself down holding the back of his head with one hand. "Let's take a look at your head, Hoss."

"Ain't nothin'to worry yourself 'bout, Pa," Hoss tried to brush off the bump that had formed on his head but his father's stern glare changed his mind real quick and he leaned his head forward.

Ben examined the back of Hoss's head and drew in a hiss. While he'd seen Joe with worse bumps, he still didn't like the look of it. His son was going to have quite the headache over the coming days. "It doesn't look too bad but soon as Doc finishes up with Griff, I want bump looked over, is that understood?"

"Alrigh', Pa," Hoss relented. "Speakin' of the Doc, he and Joe shoulda been back by now."

"How long ago did Joe head on out?" Ben's worry deepened.

Hoss took a moment to mull it over before answering, "We left at the same time. Just a few miles out of Montpelier Gorge."

Ben's eyes widened. "They should've been back hours ago! Unless the Doc's caught up with a patient. I better go and see what the hold up is."

Overhearing the conversation, Jamie turned away from the window and piped up, "I'll go. I'm a fast rider and there ain't much I can do here. I'd sure like to help. You know, be kinda useful."

"No, stay with here Hoss. It'll be dark soon and I don't like the idea of you ridin' out there on your own. Especially after what happened to Hoss," Ben disapproved.

"Please, Pa! I have to do this. This is all my fault. It's because of me that Griff's hurt. And Hoss too. If I had been more careful, I wouldn't have shot….I…wouldn't…." Jamie's guilt ridden confession poured out, leaving him breathless and ashamed to even look at the man who took him in and loved him as his own son.

"Jamie, it's alright. Just take deep breaths and tell me what happened. Can you do that, son?" Ben prompted gently but firmly.

Jamie nodded and took a couple of deep breaths. "I saw the wolf and thought I had him in my sights when I pulled the trigger. We were caught up in a sand storm and I know I shoulda been more careful but all I wanted to do was make you and Hoss proud of me. I didn't know that Griff was nearby. I didn't see him. If I hadn't shot him, the wolf wouldn't have attacked him and Hoss… Hoss wouldn't have been on his own… and… I'm so sorry," Jamie sobbed, breaking down.

Ben took several steps closer to Jamie and placed his hands on top of the boy's shoulders. "Thank you for being honest with me. Now you listen to me. What happened to Griff was an accident."

"And me gettin' bushwacked coulda happened anyway. You can't blame yourself for that. It wasn't your fault, Jamie," Hoss added.

Jamie looked up into Ben's eyes and feared he would see disappointment but all he could see were concern and sympathy.

"I still don't want you going out there on your own," Ben reiterated.

"Please, Pa. I can take care of myself. I'm old enough to ride into town on my own. Besides, whoever attacked Hoss is gonna be long gone now. All he wanted was a horse and a gun and he got all that," Jamie practically pleaded with his father, hoping he won't be turned down again. He needed to make amends and he didn't know any other way to do it.

Ben studied the boy in front of him. He reminded him of Joe when he was Jamie's age. He opened his mouth to decline once more but a fierce determination shone through Jamie's eyes, replacing the anguish that had filled them moments ago. "Alright. But, be careful and ride fast. Don't stop for anyone along the way. Take the main road and keep your eyes peeled and your ears open. There's a convict on the loose and I don't want you taking any unnecessary risks out there."

"Yes, Pa. Don't worry, I'll be careful," Jamie reassured. Placing his hat back on his head, he was just about to leave when Ben called out to him.

"Jamie, take my horse. He's fresh up and won't give you any trouble," Ben then saw the boy out the door and pulled him into a hug before letting him go to do what he felt he had to.

As the door slammed behind him, Jamie wiped away a stray tear and set off to take Buck into town. When the boy spurred the yellow horse into a gallop, Jamie made a promise to himself that he would return with Doc Martin, or not return at all.


	14. Chapter 14

**A super-short, but important update for our readers! Thanks to all who are actively engaged in this story. We are indebted to you.**

* * *

Chapter 14

Milling outside Doctor Paul Martin's office, Issac was careful not to draw too much attention to himself. He concentrated on blending in, as he did not want anyone from Virginia City to recognize him from the trial that had sent him away to prison months ago. The criminal's stubble-free face and hair-cut did wonders for his appearance, but Issac did not want to test fate. Pacing back and forth, he waited patiently to intercept the doctor before any of the Cartwrights could drag him off to the Ponderosa.

After what seemed like hours to Issac and to Joe, who was playing the same waiting game inside the office, Paul's buggy came rolling down the street. The white-haired doctor barely stepped down before Issac hastily ran up to him. "Excuse me!" Issac called, disguising his voice by making it higher-pitched and changing his accent. "Are you the doctor around these parts?"

"Why yes," Paul answered, retrieving his bag after unhitching and tethering his horse. "I'm Doctor Paul Martin," he professionally introduced despite being tired after a long day of attending to his patients. "And you are?"

"M'name's Glenn. Dan Glenn," Issac responded, slipping in to his alias's persona. "Gee, I sure am glad to have found ya, Doc. I'm new in town and my wife is with child. It's still over a month early but I think her time's come! Please, can you come out to my place and help her? It's our first child!"

"Of course, of course!" Doc Martin agreed, too concerned with the fictitious wife to worry about the nagging voice in his head that he did, indeed, know this Glenn fellow from somewhere. "Show me the way," he beckoned, about to climb back up in his buggy.

"It ain't far," Issac lied. "But I'd sure like to get there fast. Can you ride double with me?"

Doc Martin hesitated, trying to process the reasoning behind the odd request. "But I-"

"We're wasting time!" Issac growled, his false accent slipping. Clearing his throat, he reverted his voice back to his Dan Glenn's persona and proceeded, "I'm just real worried about my wife is all."

When Issac mentioned the woman again, Doc Martin pushed aside all doubt and took his place behind Issac. In his haste, the older man failed to notice the Ponderosa branding marked on Chubb's rump. Once the Doc was sitting securely on the stolen horse, Issac took off in the direction of his hideout outside of town.


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks to all our readers and reviewers, both signed and anonymous! We present to you the next chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 15:

True to his word, Jamie rode as fast as Buck would carry him and he kept to the main road. That was, until he reached the outskirts of Virginia City and saw a rider moving at a quicker pace up ahead. The sun had already long set and it was difficult to make out who the rider was. Not wanting to run into anyone who would hinder his quest or endanger him, Jamie tugged at the reins and veered Buck off the road. He used the thin line of trees as cover and waited for the rider to pass on by. To his surprise, the rider slowed down and as he got closer to him, he saw that there was another rider perched in the saddle who appeared to be arguing with him. When they reached within feet of where Jamie was hiding, the light of the moon shone over the riders making them clearly visible to the teenager who instantly recognized Dr. Martin. The physician was riding behind the stranger who had slowed the horse down to a halt and turned in his saddle.

"Now you listen to me, Doc! You best cooperate real good or you'll be signing in for an early retirement!" the man threatened the doctor.

"Don't I know you from somewhere, mister?" Dr. Martin asked, a hint of anger creeping into his voice. While the physician was afraid his life was in grave danger, he didn't want that fear to show, and he certainly wasn't going to let anyone intimidate him like this.

Issac sneered and laughed, "You sure don't listen real well, do ya? And ya ask too many questions. Not like anyone's gonna hear us out here so I'll let you in on a little secret. Name's Issac. Issac Warren. Ya fixed up my leg real good a while back."

Dr. Martin felt his stomach plummet and he knew now that he was dead man.

"Now that's better. I was gettin' tired of your yammering," Issac mocked the doctor's silence. He nudged Chubb none too gently in the ribs and galloped away.

Jamie waited until the riders were far enough away that they wouldn't notice him follow then he let Buck step back on to the road with one goal set in mind. He'd made a promise to bring Dr. Martin back to the Ponderosa and he was determined to fulfill that vow.

* * *

As Joe checked his pocket watch again, he heaved a long sigh and hoped Griff was faring well. He knew that by now, his brothers and Candy should have arrived at the Ponderosa and were probably wondering where the doctor was. His patience wearing thin, Joe shifted his weight and tapped his foot to pass the time. When he could not keep a hold on himself any longer, Joe walked up to the nurse at his desk. "Are you sure Doc Martin said he'd be returning here after his last case?" Joe asked again.

Quite used to dealing with demanding clients, even if their demeanors were often due to worry, the nurse sharply nodded and did not flinch. "Yes, that's right."

"And there's no telling when he'll be back?" Joe pressed. "There's a very sick man at the Ponderosa who really needs his help."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cartwright," she apologized. "But no. I won't know what has happened until he returns. His rounds cover a lot of distance and his patients have medicinal needs that vary from day to day. Like I said earlier, you can leave a note it you like and I'll give it to the doctor as soon as he arrives."

Seeing no other choice, Joe relented. He wanted to get back to Griff and Hoss, as well as help Ben, Candy and Jamie tend to Griff. "Okay, I guess I'll do that. But you promise you'll send Doc Martin to the Ponderosa just as soon as he gets back?"

"Of course," the nurse briskly assured. She instructed Joe to write out a note explaining Griff's situation. "My, my," she gaped, skimming over the note. "It's unfortunate for Mr. King that the doctor wasn't immediately available."

Startled at her insensitive tone, Joe mechanically tipped his hat and exited the office. Feeling as though he somehow let Griff down, even though there was nothing else he could do, Joe mounted Sport and began his journey back to the Ponderosa.


	16. Chapter 16

**As always, a big thank you goes out to our readers and reviewers. We strive for your entertainment.**

* * *

 **Chapter 16:**

After trudging up the stairs, Adam gently set Griff down onto the bed in the guest room. When he felt himself being placed onto the soft mattress, Griff sunk into the bed, trying to rid himself of the growing stabbing sensations from his injuries. Adam and Candy quickly set to removing the boy's shirt to expose his wounds.

"Here's the hot water and bandages," Ben announced as he entered the room and took his first good look at Griff since the hunting party's arrival. "Dear God," he murmured, adjusting the blankets so Griff's foot would be elevated. "He looks as if he's been mauled!" Ben firmly placed his palm on the youth's cheek. "Fever's strong," he hissed with concern.

"And rising," supplied Adam. He smoothed back Griff's hair so the dark locks were not in his eyes. Adam grimaced when he felt a layer of sweat coating the teen's skin. "Joe took the bullet out, but he said it was lodged under the bone," the Cartwright son explained, pointing to the shoulder wound.

Ben examined the ragged injury. "Looks painful, but given the circumstances, this wound isn't too bad. Joe did an excellent job with the surgery."

Candy sat down on the edge of the bed to get a closer look. "Joe might have missed his true calling," he lightly joked. "Just think, he could have been 'Dr. Joesph Cartwright."

After the three men shared a small smile, Adam continued his somber summary. "But these wolf bites," he explained. "They're bad and getting worse."

It only took Ben one glance to make a diagnosis on the red, streaking lines that stretched across the swollen foot. "Infection." The single word carried dozens of worries with it, but no one dared voice their concerns out loud.

"Where's that doctor?" Candy grumbled. "It's been hours now. Griff can't hold out much longer."

Clasping a hand on Candy's shoulder, Ben assured him, "As soon as he can. Joe is probably on his way and I sent Jamie out to see what the hold up is. They'll get here soon."

"Don't tell me that," the foreman scowled. "Tell Griff!" He gestured to Griff, who was becoming increasingly agitated.

"Hmm," Griff moaned, flipping his head back and forth as he tried to find a cooler position to no avail. He started speaking under his breath and Candy took his hand to anchor Griff in the present. Once Griff's words were understandable, it was clear that Candy's attempts were not working. "Joe…" Griff called out. "Joe?" His right arm suddenly flew up and reached out for something unseen by everyone else. When his fingers found Adam's shirt collar, the excon curled his hands and tried to pull Adam forward, desperate for human contact. "Joe, get him off me! Joe! Joe, please…" he begged, feeling the wolf's hot breath all over his body. Blinding pain erupted all over his body and centered in his foot as if the wolf's fangs were crushing every single bone in his ankle. "Please get 'im off me, Joe… Help me…"

At Griff's touch, Adam grasped the trembling hand and softly stroked it, wishing his could break through Griff's haunting memories. "You're alright, boy," he assured calmly. "He can't get you, I promise, Griff. The wolf's dead, remember? He can't get you. I won't let him."

Griff's eyes stared just past Adam's shoulder and he did not seem to be aware of Ben or Candy's presence, either. "Oh God…" he whimpered. "I'm sh-shot! I'm shot!"

"We know, Griff," Candy acknowledged, hating to see his young friend so vulnerable and irrational. "You're okay. We're home and the doc is gonna get here real soon to patch you up. Ya just gotta hang on, okay, buddy?" Candy placed both of his hands on Griff's cheeks and angled the ailing youth's face to look at him. Griff's blue eyes were bright and glassy as they rolled around, trying to make sense of the delusions that filled his head. "Griff, do you hear me?" asked Candy. He received no answer, and that scared him even more.

* * *

While Jamie knew he was going against what his father had ordered, the thought of going back home without the very person that Griff's life was depending on was one he felt no comfort in. He'd already gone off the main road in his pursuit and had no idea where he was going to end up, but he hoped for Griff's sake, he wouldn't have to travel much further. Luck seemed to be on Jamie's side when the riders ahead slowed down and he could just make out both men dismounting in front of a group of large rock formations. He watched under cover of the trees as the man known as Issac Warren forced his captive in between the boulders away from his line of vision. The youth climbed down from Buck, secured him to a tree and, keeping his head down, he slowly crept through the trees and made his way over to where he last saw the men he'd been following. It was dark but his eyes had long adjusted to what little light the moon had to offer. Several twigs snapped under his boots and for a long moment he held his breath as he crouched down low and waited for Issac to jump out from the boulders. When the silence grew heavy, only then did Jamie proceeded. Finally, he reached his destination.

Peering around a boulder cautiously, the boy saw Dr. Martin sitting against another boulder across a small cleared area where a small fire was lit. The doctor was gagged and it looked like his hands were tied behind him. Jamie licked his parched lips and swallowed hard. He scanned the area but couldn't see Issac anywhere. He decided it was now or never to make his move. Drawing in a deep breath, he slowly made his presence known to the doctor whose eyes grew wide when he saw Jamie inching his way over to him with a finger planted on his lips. Hesitation overcame him when the doctor shook his head fervently. Knowing it was too late to turn back now, Jamie steeled himself and was about to take another step toward Dr. Martin when something crashed into him, knocking him against a boulder then pinning him in place. He gasped when he realized he'd been caught. Issac's face, contorted in anger, was just inches from his own.


	17. Chapter 17

**An update for our wonderful readers! Thanks to all who are supporting us. We hope you enjoy this next part and join us for the next one soon.**

* * *

Chapter 17:

"Well what have we here, huh? Don't think I ain't seen ya following me, boy!" Issac growled. He yanked the teen off the boulder then threw him to the ground. He unslung the rifle from his back and pointed it at the youth who tried to back away. "You have ten seconds to tell me who you are before I shoot ya where ya sit!"

"I… I…" Jamie stuttered, staring down the barrel of Issac's gun. Trying to feign a sense of confidence, the teenager swallowed before answering, "My name's Cartwright. J-Jamie Cartwright." He puffed out his chest and straightened his spine in an attempt to look intimidating. "And I'm here for Doc Martin. He's needed bad over at the Ponderosa. So if you ride away now and hand over the doc, we won't have any trouble."

Issac burst out in a fit of ringing laughter. "You ain't in no position to be handin' out threats, Jamie Cartwright," Issac mocked, looking Jamie up and down. "I didn't know your daddy had so many sons. You seems a little scrawnier than the other two I met," he jeered. "Thought that other Cartwright was supposed to be 'big as a horse.' Yer barely the size of a yearling!"

At Jamie's explanation, Doc Martin perked up and began struggling against his gag. The older man was not sure if Jamie was lying about his being needed, but the skilled man did not want to take any chances.

Stepping forward, still keeping his gun on Jamie, Issac smiled. "I'd be surprised if ol' Doc Martin here is still needed anyway. Griff looked mighty sick to me in that cabin," the criminal sneered. "He's probably already dead by now."

"So it was you that night!" gasped Jamie.

"Sure was," Issac proudly admitted. "King an' me go back, way back. We got unfinished business, but I'm doing my damnest to finish it this time!" He jutted his head towards the doctor. "Kidnapping that doc is just as good as hanging King. My only regret is that I can't see him die slow and painful."

The captive man worked furiously at escaping, but the knots were too tight for him. Now that Doc Martin knew there was a patient waiting for his help, he could not stand being kidnapped one moment longer.

Jamie picked up on the doctor's pleading looks and grunts. "Griff was shot and wolf-bit, doc. He's fading fast."

"Shut yer mouth!" Issac yelled, shooting right between Jamie's feet. "Say another word, and next time that bullet goes through yer skull. Got it, kid?"

Once the reality of the situation dawned on Jamie, he was momentarily unable to speak. He shortly nodded and put his hands up in the air. His mind raced as he wondered how he could free Doc Martin and get back to the Ponderosa as fast as possible. _What would Pa do?_ Jamie silently wondered.

"You learn fast," Issac snidely commented. "Much faster than that older brother of yours."

Jamie and Doctor Martin glanced at each other, trying to mutely share any information they could. The white-haired doctor raised an eyebrow, as if to inquire Griff's current condition. Jamie pressed his lips into a thin line and dropped his gaze to the floor. Even without verbal communication, they both shared the exact same thought.

Griff was running out of time.

* * *

At the sound of the front door opening and closing, Ben excused himself and hurried downstairs, figuring Joe and Jamie had at last arrived with the doctor. When he reached the bottom landing, however, he only saw two of his sons: Joe and Hoss.

"Where's Jamie? And Paul?" Ben questioned.

"I was just telling Hoss that I never saw Jamie and Paul's out of town. He was called in to Reno since yesterday. Nurse told me he was supposed to come back this afternoon but I'd been waiting for hours and he didn't show,"Joe explained the situation. "How long ago did you send Jamie?"

"Just before sundown," Ben replied solemnly. He placed his hands on his hips and sighed heavily.

Joe shared a worried glance with Hoss. They both knew how long it took to get to town and back. If Jamie hadn't returned by now, then something was wrong. Very wrong. But neither of them wanted to worry their father more than he already was.

"Look, Pa, maybe he got lost or tried to take a short cut and ended up takin' longer than he should. It would explain why I didn't run into him on my way back here. Why don't I go out there and see if I can catch up with him?" Joe tried his best not to let the apprehension he felt creep into his voice.

Ben looked up at his son and nodded thoughtfully. "Thanks, Joe. I'm sure you're right. He's probably got himself lost along the way. Still, I'd feel a lot better if you took one of the hands with you. Just in case."

"Sure, I'll take Lucas and George with me. Between the three of us, we'll find him in no time," Joe let out a nervous laugh, trying to make light of the situation.

"I'll go too," Hoss volunteered eagerly.

"No, Hoss. You shouldn't even be up and about, let alone riding!" Ben firmly disagreed.

Hoss knew he had no choice but to stay home or else he'd cause his father more stress than he was already facing.

"I won't be long," Joe bade his father and brother a quick farewell before hurrying out the front door once again.


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks to all readers/reviewers!**

* * *

Chapter 18:

Faced with very little choice but to do as he was told by the hardened convict, Jamie sat down by the fire and allowed the man to search through his pockets. Silently cursing, he watched Issac remove the contents of his pockets including a small knife which would've come in handy if he were to be bound.

Figuring that the boy was too frightened to cause any more trouble, Issac put the knife in his own pocket then placed the rifle down beside him and barked, "Hold out your hands!"

Jamie did as he was told and though he kept his eyes off the rifle, his consciousness knew where it was. _Now's my chance!_ Just as Issac wound the length of rope around the teen's wrist and started to tie a knot, Jamie kicked the man in the chest, reached out and snatched up the rifle from the ground.

"Why you!" Issac lunged forward but the young Jamie Cartwright swung the weapon he held and hit him across the face, knocking him senseless.

Jamie scrambled over to the bound doctor, pulled down the gag and tried to untie him but the ropes wouldn't give. Breathing heavily out of fear and desperation, he looked over at Issac's form as he lay writhing on the ground, clutching his head. He wondered briefly if he was strong enough to overpower the convict and steal his knife back from him.

"Don't. He's too dangerous. There's a knife in my bag just over there," Dr. Martin whispered, nodding toward his work bag which had been unceremoniously dumped nearby.

Jamie dived for the bag, rummaged quickly through it and return with a scalpel. He hastily sawed through the ropes binding the doctor's wrists together. When at last he cut through the fibres, he helped the physician to his feet, picked up the rifle and hurried to free Chubb from his tethers.

Dr. Martin collected his bag and mounted Chubb as quickly as possible, all the while insisting that Jamie do the same but the boy insisted he wasn't going to leave Buck behind for Issac to ride after them.

"Go! I'll be right behind you, Doc! Go, go, go!" Jamie slapped Chubb's rump harder than he intended and fell backward in surprise as the horse galloped away. Before he could get back to his feet, Issac had already bounded back to his feet and lunged at him once again. Jamie raised the rifle and aimed it at the convict's chest. His finger rested shakily on the trigger. "Don't come any closer, mister! Stay back!"

Issac let out a scornful laugh and kept advancing on his intended target. "You even know how to use that, kid?"

"Y-yes and I will shoot if you... if you don't stop right there!" Jamie shouted.

"Ever shot a man, Jamie?" Issac jeered. "You better be prepared for the consequences of shootin' an unarmed man."

Jamie's face blanched at Issac's words as he was instantly reminded of accidentally shooting Griff.

Issac took advantage of the boy's hesitation and kicked the rifle out of the young Cartwright's grasp then he reached down and grabbed a handful of his shirt. He yanked the boy to his feet and drew him up close to his face. "I had it all worked out until you decided to act a hero! Little Jamie Cartwright tryin' to save the day, huh? Well you're nothin' but a worthless coward! Ya hear me, kid? Think your pa will be proud of ya, knowing you're a coward?"

Jamie's face started to burn with humiliation. _Little Jamie Cartwright? A coward?!_ Fueled with anger, Jamie curled his hand into a fist and swung it as hard as he could into his tormentor's face.

Issac released his hold on the boy but a quick backhanded blow in retaliation caused the teenager to fall to the ground.

Jamie saw the earth spinning when he landed. He could feel the side of his face stinging from where he was hit but he refrained from crying out or letting the tears that were burning his eyes to fall. "I'm not a coward," he bravely stated between clenched teeth.

"Get up. On your feet, boy!" Issac commanded threateningly.

Jamie mechanically rose to his feet. Despite his fear, he fought back the urge to plead with Issac to let him go. He stood facing the convict and took a deep breath, hoping it wouldn't be his last.

* * *

"I'm shot… I'm shot!" Griff called out, wincing as he felt the impact of the bullet slam into his shoulder. Through his cloudy vision and spinning balance, Griff could just barely make out a black figure in the distance. "Th-Thunder? I need you… Please." Griff blinked and when he opened his eyes, the horse had disappeared. "No, no…" lamented the sick teenager. "Come back!"

A cold sensation of Griff's forehead cut through his delirium and he turned his head to the side in an effort to rid himself of the discomfort. He shivered, but did not have the strength to do much else.

"Fever spiked again," Adam worriedly confirmed when Candy walked into the room with a fresh pitcher of water. "He's gettin' restless."

Candy poured the water into a basin. Grabbing a nearby cloth, he saturated it and began to wipe down Griff's bare chest. "Try to calm down, Griff. Rest is what you need," Candy whispered, but his plea fell on deaf ears. Disturbed by seeing his young friend suffering so greatly, the foreman shook his head violently and turned to Adam. "Rest," he bitterly repeated. "What he really needs is a doctor who can prescribe something to break this fever."

Adam tiredly nodded. He could not refute Candy's claims, but concentrating on resources they did not have was useless. "He'll be here soon, but until then, Griff is young and strong." Candy did not pull his eyes away from Griff's discolored foot. "Snap out of it, Candy!" Adam suddenly burst. "This kid's got a lotta fight left him in yet. Don't start counting him out."

Thickly swallowing, Candy went back to mechanically placing a cool cloth over Griff. "I'm not, I just…" he croaked. "No doctor, no medicine. What chance does he have, Adam?"


	19. Chapter 19

**Thanks to those who have supported this story. We hope you are enjoying so far!**

* * *

Chapter 19:

"Get him off, Joe!" Griff hoarsely yelled. Whether it was from pain from his wounds or fear from his nightmarish visions, Candy did not know, but tears started to trail down Griff's eyes. It was almost more than Candy could take.

In Griff's fevered state, he could see a wolf pounce on his beloved mount. The horse let out a strangled whinny and watching was unbearable for the teenager. "The wolf, Joe! He's... Thunder! Oh, God, no! No…" As Griff twisted and contorted his body, his ankle scraped across the bed, leaving a trail of oozing blood and yellow pus across the sheet.

"That ankle has to be drained soon," Adam observed. "That infection is killing him from the inside out."

"And we need a doctor to cut him up," countered Candy. When Adam did not immediately retaliate, Candy cocked his head in disbelief. "You know as well than I do that if we make a mistake, he'll bleed out. Between these wounds and his fever, we have to wait," he started to reason, but Adam cut him off with authority.

"If we wait too long, that foot will have to come off," the eldest Cartwright said, his harsh tone betraying his sadness at the thought. "Or worse."

* * *

Jamie stood unflinching and silent as Issac's glare burned him to the spot.

"What am I to do with you, hmm? You know, kid, I was gonna let you go on back home and tell yer Pa we had something precious that he'd want. Would've been your lucky day, but now that you let the good doctor go, your Pa's gonna pay up good a proper if he wants ya back in one piece," Issac taunted.

"You'll go back to prison, Mister, if anything were to happen to me but if you just head on out now, I won't tell anyone where you went...I….." Jamie's voice trailed off and he wished he were as brave as his brothers and his Pa.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Issac challenged in a low voice. "You've inherited the same lying tongue as the rest of your family. No, you and me are gonna go for a little ride up to Montpelier Gorge. We're gonna hole up there somewhere and wait for your Pa to come and find ya. Don't worry, I'll be sure to leave them a note before we go. No doubt the good doctor will lead him and your meddlin' brothers right here by sun-up." He turned away from the boy.

Jamie let out the breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding but before he could move a muscle, his captor wheeled around and drove his fist into the teen's stomach. Jamie's knees buckled under him and he folded over, unable to breath or even think about anything but the pain.

"That's for lyin'! Now I like ya, kid, so I'm gonna let that right hook go, but you cross me again, and I won't be so nice, ya got that?" Issac warned. He'd pulled back on his punch, not wanting to seriously harm the kid just yet, but he was not going to be merciless next time and he wanted the boy to know that.

Jamie nodded and slowly straightened up.

"Where's your horse?" Issac asked gruffly.

"Over… over there. By that tree," Jamie gasped, pointing the way.

Issac walked away following the teen's directions. He untethered the handsome animal and guided him back to the small campfire. By now, the boy was slowly rising to his feet with an arm wrapped around his midsection. The convict drew out a piece of parchment from the horse's saddle bag then picked up a twig from the ashes at the edge of the fire and handed them both to the youth. "You know how to write, boy?"

"Yessir," Jamie replied in a small voice.

"Good. You're gonna write a note for your Pa and unless you want me to start sending you back to him one piece at a time, you better write down exactly what I tell ya to," Issac threatened.

Jamie took the parchment and knelt down by the fire, using the charcoal remnants as ink as he wrote down word for word everything Issac dictated. The letter read:

 **Cartwright,**

 **If you want to see your son again, you'll bring $3,000 to Montpelier Gorge by sundown tomorrow. Until then, I'll take good care of him. Come alone or Griff won't be the only in need of good old Doctor Martin.**

 **Issac Warren**

Then, knowing that the criminal was illiterate, he added,

 **I'm sorry I let you down, Pa. I never meant for any of this to happen. Please don't take any chances on my account. Tell Griff I**

"You should be done with that by now!" Issac growled.

Jamie's hand shook as he signed his name, unable to finish what he wanted to say. He handed the parchment up to the convict who snatched it out of his hand.

"Get on the horse and don't try anything. I'm a real good shot. Your brother Joe can tell ya."

Jamie obediently made his way over to Buck and climbed into the saddle, wincing involuntarily as he did.

Issac quickly put the fire out then walked up to a nearby tree and pulled out the small knife that he had taken from the boy out of his pocket. Holding the paper up against the tree trunk, he stabbed the blade through the sheet and pinned it in place. "See you soon, Cartwright," he chuckled.

* * *

"Jamie?!" Lucas called, holding a lantern with one hand and keeping his other hand on the saddle horn. "Jamie?!"

He, George, and Joe had been searching for the sixteen year old off of the road to Virginia City. As time passed, all three men were getting more anxious. Although they had no doubt in Jamie's ability to take care of himself, they also knew that the youngest Cartwright was not in any mindset to be alone. In addition to that, Jamie had a reputation of being rash and hasty. With Griff's life at stake, any mistake could be deadly.

"Jamie!?" George echoed not far from Lucas. "Where are you, Jamie!?"

Up ahead, Joe inspected a broken twig that Cochise had expertly dodged despite the impending darkness. "Fellas, take a look at this!" he summoned. The marks on the ground revealed a scuffle and Joe had a bad feeling in his gut that his little brother was somehow involved. "These prints aren't too old."

"You think Jamie ran into someone here?" Lucas asked. "But why would he take off with Jamie? That don't make no sense."

"This is why," George supplied, ripping the note Issac had left off of a tree nearby.

Joe snatched the letter from his friend and quickly scanned it. "Jamie's handwriting," he mentioned, rereading the letter. "Issac's words. Well, except for the last part. Looks like Jamie tried to add his own piece but never got to finish it."

Having briefly dealt with Issac when he held Adam and Griff for ransom last year, Lucas and George knew how dangerous the man could be. "Well, let's go an' get him!" Lucas proclaimed.

"No," said Joe, still studying the paper. "No. We need a plan. If it doesn't look like we have the money, Issac will shoot Jamie on the spot." Quickly mounting, Joe tucked the letter in his pocket. The other two men followed suit and kicked their horses to head back to the Ponderosa.


	20. Chapter 20

**We are just about at the halfway point in this story! Thanks to all reviewers.**

* * *

Chapter 20:

After insisting that Lucas and George return to the bunkhouse to catch up on some sleep, Joe strode through the house with the letter clutched in his hand. "Pa?!"

"Up here, Joe!" Ben boomed.

Joe ascended the stairs two at a time to find Ben hovering over Griff, who was visibly trembling in the bed.

The nineteen year old's skin was dripping with sweat and his black hair was plastered to his forehead. Except for the two burning red patches in his cheeks, Griff's face was devoid of all color. Lines of pain stretched across his forehead as Griff blindly grabbed at Ben's shirt. Joe wished he could somehow help the ex-con get some much-needed rest to fight off his growing infection. He also wished he could tell his pa that he'd found Jamie safe and sound but that wasn't the case and now he was faced with breaking the news to his already anxious father.

"Pa, can we talk outside?" Joe placed his hand on his father's shoulder.

"Sure," Ben replied tiredly and easily extricated himself from Griff's grip as the youth finally started to settle down, whether from exhaustion or his body's defences shutting down. The Cartwright patriarch followed his son out to the hallway and closed the door. "Candy's gone out to get some air and Adam's gathering a few things we may need in case Doc needs to drain the wounds to Griff's ankle. Better be prepared ahead of time. They'll be back shortly."

"How's Hoss?" Joe asked.

"He's in his room resting. Did you find Jamie or Paul?" Ben searched Joe's face, trying to read him before the words tumbled out. Whatever his son had to say, he could tell it wasn't good news.

Joe drew out the ransom note from his pocket and handed it to his father. There was no easy way to break it to him. "We found it nailed to a tree just out of town."

Ben screwed his eyes shut once he'd reread the note for the second time then crumpled up the parchment and slammed his closed fist against the wall. "Why? Why couldn't he just ride out to Mexico and leave my family be?" Ben didn't yell but his body trembled as he spoke.

"We'll get him back, Pa. I promise," Joe vowed.

"But in what condition? That man is a animal! You saw what he did to Griff. If he lets loose on Jamie..." Ben failed to contain his anguish. He took several deep breaths to keep himself together.

Joe's heart tore watching his father at breaking point. There were simply no more words he could say to bring him any measure of comfort. He knew his pa was right. Issac didn't need to be riled up to inflict pain on others. The man took pleasure in torturing Griff while they served time in Nevada State prison when the ranch hand was just Jamie's age. It wasn't just physical torture that Griff had to endure but psychological. While the now older teen had already been exposed to extreme levels of physical and mental abuse all his life, Jamie had not had that experience growing up. Joe wasn't sure whether it was worse for someone to prepare themselves for such treatment to befall on them or if they had no idea what was in store.

"What's going on?" Adam asked from the top of the stairs.

"Issac. He's got Jamie," Joe informed his oldest brother.

Adam paled. "What? Where?!" Ben handed his oldest son the note so he could read it for himself. The contents were almost too upsetting to repeat out loud. "Dear God..."

A loud, banging noise suddenly ceased their conversation.

Before any of them could descend the stairs to see who was at the door, Candy, who was down stairs obtaining more water, answered the door and was relieved to find a disheveled-looking Doctor Paul Martin.

"Boy, am I glad to see you, Doc," Candy grinned. "It's Griff. He needs you real bad."

"I know," Paul said as he stepped into the house and continued up to the stairs to get to his patient. "Jamie told me."

Candy's brow crinkled as he tried to make sense of the situation. "What? How could he hav-?"

"I'll explain as soon as I can, but right now, I need to see my patient," Paul demanded.

Ben shot Candy a look that silenced everyone, not only the foreman. It worried Candy, but he resigned to the fact that there was nothing he could do. The other men escorted him to Griff's room and allowed the skilled doctor to get to work.


	21. Chapter 21

**Thank you, reviewers/readers! We do so love to hear your thoughts and feelings of this story.**

* * *

Chapter 21:

"Griff?" Paul softly said as he probed at the wounds. "Griff, can you hear me? It's Doc Martin. I'm gonna check you out now," he explained, noticing the ragged bullet wound first. Griff's latest episode had left him weak and nauseous. He flinched when the doctor touched him, but he did not have the energy to do much more. "Steady, boy. I'm almost done." Finally, Paul turned his attention to the ankle wound. By now, Griff's ankle was swollen and discolored so much his foot was barely recognizable. The bite wounds stretched across the inflamed skin and throbbed relentlessly. Red streaks crawled up Griff's calf and extended up to his toes. With Jamie hastily having explained the circumstances of Griff's wounds to him, Doc Martin was not entirely surprised by the teen's deteriorating health, but he was disappointed.

After feeling Griff's lymph nodes and taking his pulse, Paul finally addressed the four anxious men in the room. "Griff is in critical condition," he confirmed. "That bite on his ankle is badly infected. It's causing a fever, which is draining his energy. If the infection doesn't clear up, Griff will develop gangrene."

"Gangrene?" Candy gasped. "But that means-"

"Amputation," finished Doc Martin. "Normally I'd start Griff on antibiotics and quinine to flush out the infection, but my bag is still with Issac!" he huffed in exasperation. Composing himself, Paul turned to Ben. "I'll have to ride to my office to obtain the medicine Griff needs, if I have it in stock, that is. God help us if I don't. But in the meantime, this foot needs to be drained of this pus." The doctor shook his head. "Did Issac put that bullet hole in his shoulder, too?"

"Jamie shot Griff," Candy answered without missing a beat. "An accident, of course."

Before anyone else had a chance to respond, Griff started to move restlessly. That phrase cut through Griff's reprieve and he opened his eyes. "Shot… I'm shot!" he cried.

Ben quickly laid his hand on Griff's good shoulder to comfort and to restrain Griff. "Take it easy," he shushed. "Just lie still, boy. You're alright."

"Don't… don't shoot me," Griff begged. Instead of Paul's worried face, Griff saw Jamie aiming his pistol at his head. "Jamie, don't shoot me, please! I'm shot!"

Doc Martin felt Griff's forehead. "His fever's soaring, but I don't even have a thermometer to gauge it."

"The wolf, shoot the wolf! No, I'm shot! You shot me… Help..." cried Griff. "Jamie? J-Joe?"

"Issac is a menace," Paul growled. It was rare for everyone to see such an emotional and spiteful side of their doctor. "How much more damage can he inflict?"

"Because of Issac?" Candy echoed again, unable to stay silent. "Doc, what happened out there? Why were you so late? And where's your bag?"

Paul sighed apologetically and explained, "I should've recognized that animal even with the shaved face and shorter hair. He intercepted me outside my office. I'd just returned from Reno. He told me that his wife was about to give birth and I guess I was too tired from the ride, I didn't hear them warning bells or took notice of the branding on the horse he was riding. It was Hoss's. So I went along and if it weren't for young Jamie who'd been following us the whole time, I wouldn't be here now. Jamie cut me loose and said he'd be right behind me but..." Paul shook his head sadly. "I'm so sorry, Ben. I should've turned back, helped the boy."

Ben placed a hand firmly on the doctor's shoulder. "No, you did the right thing. We know now that Issac's armed. The only horses I'm missing are Chubb and Thunder. Since Hoss was bushwhacked for his, I think it's a safe assumption that Issac was responsible and he would have Hoss's rifle. Issac only needed one hostage. Since he had laid in wait for you, he might've killed Jamie. Thanks to your courage, he has a chance."

"Chubb's outside in the yard now," Paul sheepishly shrugged. "He's real tired, but he got me here as fast as he could."

Wanting to make himself useful, Joe excuse himself to take care of his brother's horse. "I'll put him up in the barn," he offered. "So is Thunder the only horse we're missing?"

"Jamie took Buck with him," answered Ben. "They've only got one horse to work with. Maybe that'll slow them up enough for us to reach them."

"But what about Thunder?" Candy asked, knowing that if Griff were of sound mind, he would be wondering the same thing.

"We'll look for him after we've got Jamie back," promised Ben, sitting down and aimlessly scratching his neck. "But as time goes on, it's gonna be harder to find him. I'm sorry, Candy, but with Jamie gone, I can't put anyone at risk to go on some wild goose chase. I know what that stallion means to Griff, but Issac has my son."

Candy's heart went out to Ben. He knew all too well what Isaac was capable of. Griff had barely survived his last encounter with the brutal convict. He doubted Jamie's age would save him from Issac's cruelty. "I'll saddle the horses."

"No. By the time we reach Montpelier Gorge, they'd have made it to the gorge and Issac would have the advantage. He'd make sure they hole up somewhere where he could see us approaching and that won't help Jamie. We leave before dawn with the money." As unbearable as it was for the Cartwright patriarch to not rush headlong over to his youngest son, he knew that to do so and get caught, would be a death sentence for the boy. Issac was desperate and he'd sooner kill Jamie than get thrown back into prison. They needed to devise a plan. They had to make the criminal believe they would pay him.

A sudden cry of fear broke the conversation and diverted their attention back to the wounded young man on the bed. "Issac! No, not the hell box, no… no!" Griff started to struggle to raise himself off the mattress, whimpering as strong but gentle hands held him down. "Oh God, let me out!" he pleaded. "Jamie? Help me… I… I need you…"

"We're here, Griff," Candy assured his young friend. "Settle down, boy."

"I've leave tonight to obtain his medicine so I can get back by morning," Doctor Martin stated. "But that wound has to be drained right away. Are you fellas up to it?"

Faced with the prospect of cutting into Griff and possibly crippling him for the rest of his life, Candy recoiled. "What?" he gaped. "You're not staying? You're walking out and leaving him?"

"I'm depending on Griff's constitution and that medicine to save his life," Paul argued hotly. He gestured to Griff's writhing form. "And maybe a little help from God. Without that medicine, he has no chance, Candy. You have to understand that."

"What I understand is that you're signing Griff's death warrant!" seethed Candy. "How can y-"

"Take Joe with you, Paul," Ben suggested, silencing his foreman. "He's in the barn now, but he'll be happy to escort you. That way, if you run into any trouble, you'll have a better chance."

"Thank, Ben. I'll walk you through the process before I go," said the caring doctor. "You know I'd stay if I could."

Adam nodded shortly. He kept a steady hand and an unreadable expression. Knowing that Candy was scared for Griff and in need of a supportive brother, Adam assigned himself the solemn task. "We know, Doc. I'll do the surgery," he volunteered, swallowing the bile that threatened to rise in his throat when he thought of cutting into Griff.


	22. Chapter 22

**Thanks, readers and reviewers, for your support! Please enjoy this addition!**

* * *

Chapter 22:

"Adam, no! If we cut into Griff, he's as good as dead!" angrily insisted Candy. "Look at him!"

"Issac? Jamie? No! I gotta get... No!" screeched Griff, twisting and turning in a frenzy. With animistic force, Griff rolled himself over and would have fallen out of the bed if Adam and Ben had not caught him. Even touching Griff's left leg at the knee caused Griff insurmountable agony. He collapsed into the hands that held him and shook violently. "Oh God, my leg…" he sobbed. "The wolf, get 'im off. Get 'im offa me…"

"Griff. Griff! Look at me!" Candy took a hold of the young man's face, angling it so that their eyes met. "It's alright. Everything's gonna be okay. I'm right here."

Breathing hard, Griff found a sense of calm in Candy's gaze and for a long moment they locked eyes until the teen visibly relaxed beneath the restraining hands that held him down to the mattress. Overwhelmed by the excruciating pain and weakened from loss of blood, Griff lay back against the pillow, wishing he could make sense of his surroundings and put out the fire raging through him.

"Okay," Candy uttered in Adam and Dr. Martin's direction. His one-word announcement was all the confirmation everyone needed to hear to do what must be done in order to save their young friend from certain death.

"Doc, talk me through it and then get that medicine for Griff. I've a steady hand. I can manage," Adam replied, wishing he had as much confidence as what his tone implied he had.

Paul quickly gave out the directions for the procedure bearing in mind that Adam was no doctor. He also knew they would have to make do with the household instruments that were available. The procedure would be crude and there was a chance Griff's condition could deteriorate as a result but they were faced with no other options. Once Adam understood what had to be done, Ben led Doc out to the barn and quickly related to Joe what was happening.

"We'll be back before you know it!" Joe promised. He led Cochise and Fly out of the barn then together he and Paul rode out of the gates towards town.

* * *

The ride seemed to go on forever for Jamie as he sat rigidly in the saddle in front of his captor. He barely dared to breathe or even think out of fear that the man could somehow read his mind.

"Relax, kid. You look like you're about to meet with the hangman!" Issac's boredom began to show. "Ever seen a man hung by his neck till he was dead, boy?"

Jamie remained silent and earned a slap to the back of his head.

"You deaf and dumb s'well as a coward, or just plain stupid?" Issac retorted.

"N-no, Sir," Jamie replied with a croak.

"That's better. Let's take a break," Issac sighed when they reached a stream. He dismounted and led Buck over to the water's edge. "This here horse's your Pa's, ain't it?"

Jamie nodded from his perch.

"Mighty fine lookin' animal. Reckon I'll keep 'im till I get to Mexico," Issac sneered. "Git down here and fill up the canteens."

Jamie climbed down, retrieved the nearly empty canteens from the saddle and filled them with water from the stream.

"Gimme that!" Issac snatched one of the canteens from Jamie's hand and guzzled down the entire contents. "Fill it up."

The teen did as he was ordered to then handed the refilled canteen back to Issac. Thirst got the better of him and he raised the other canteen to his lips but the convict's arm lashed out and knocked it from his hand.

"Did I tell ya you could drink that?" Issac spat. "You drink when I tell ya you can. Just like you talk when I'm talkin' to you. Now you best fill that up again and put it back where ya found it, ya hear?"

"I hear," Jamie sullenly responded. He returned to the stream and bent down so he could submerge the canteen. Spotting a grassy patch next to the stream, he took care to avoid touching it. After listening to Hoss constantly teaching Jamie about the different types of wildlife, he recognized some poison ivy mixed in with the grass. Quickly checking to make sure Issac was not watching him carefully, Jamie dragged the canteen along the poison ivy. He made sure to fully expose the mouthpiece to the poison ivy. "I hear," he repeated under his breath as he replaced the canteen.

"Sit a spell," Issac roughly ordered. "Your pa should be a-coming up that hill in a few hours so he can deliver the money." Jamie remained silent, unsure of what he was supposed to say. "Think he'll come alone?"

Jamie gave a noncommittal grunt. He hoped his father would make the safest choice.

"Maybe he'll bring that oldest boy with him, Adam," Isaac recalled. "You don't look nothing like him. Or your old man, for that matter."

"I'm adopted," Jamie revealed.

"Damn," the criminal cursed. "You a stray like King? You sure don't act like no con." He took out a pocket knife and idly whittled a twig.

"My ma died when I was born," Jamie explained, wishing Isaac would take a gulp of water. "My pa was a rainmaker. We traveled all across the country. When he died, I kept the business goin'. One day, I stopped in Virginia City and just never left," the boy simply summarized.

"Hmm," scoffed Issac. "You an' King must be good friends. You know what I done to King, don't ya, Jamie Cartwright?"

"Sort of," Jamie answered for both questions. He saw no reason to lie to Isaac and he was tired of being so quiet. "I was away when you kidnapped, but everyone told me what you'd done to him."

Noticing that Jamie was holding something back, Issac raised an eyebrow. "He didn't tell you himself?" he prodded.

"Griff and I don't get along too well," Jamie admitted. As the day's events caught up with him, he did not realize that perhaps his previous silence had been the best idea after all. "And now that I shot him, I don't think we ever will."

Pleasantly surprised, Issac let a grin stretch across his face. "Shot him? Sounds like I owe you a thank you!" Issac slyly observed. "Seems you know the real Griff King like I do."

Jamie flinched as Issac sat down beside him, but the convict seemed to be more friendly than he had been all day. "The real Griff King?"

Issac nodded, ecstatic that Jamie was taking the bait. "Darn tootin'. He might seem innocent, but he's a nasty one, I'll tell you that. I seen him do things in jail you woulda never believed. It don't take much for him to snap."

Jamie thought back to his interactions with Griff, and he wondered if there was any truth to Issac's claims.

"Do ya know why he was in jail in the first place?" continued the older man. When Jamie shook his head, Issac supplied, "I heard he damn near killed his own father with a pick axe." Issac was careful to twist Griff's story to make the parolee look like a vicious killer. "You better hope he does die, or else he might kill you. Maybe even your Pa or brothers."

Jamie knew that his family has the utmost respect for Griff, but he wondered how much they knew of his past. _Is Griff dangerous? He's never hurt me, but it could be a matter of time. Beating a man with a pick ace was bad, but nearly killing his own father?_

"You mighta done everyone a favor, Jamie," Issac added, eliciting a thoughtful look from Jamie. He saw the boy was believing his lies. This was working out better than he could have planned. _Better quit while I'm ahead. Let the kid stew over this_. "Break's over. Let's head on out over to those rocks up ahead. We'll be on higher ground then. Wouldn't want to make things easy for your pa, now would we?" He clapped Jamie on the back and took a handful of his shirt in the process then pulled him up roughly to his feet.


	23. Chapter 23

**AN: A special thank you goes out to our readers for their continued support.**

* * *

Chapter 23:

Jamie felt like a puppet with strings, obeying Issac's orders and feeling completely helpless. To add to his misery, Issac's words replayed in his head over and over again. He berated himself for allowing the criminal to plant seeds of doubt in his conscience, while at the same time, he found he could not ignore the conflicted feelings he now had toward Griff. The older youth was always so closed off and touchy when it came to talking about his time in prison. Still, the most disconcerting and damning piece of information that Issac revealed was the very reason why Griff had served time in Nevada State Prison. _If he'd been innocent, he wouldn't still be on parole._ Jamie grated his teeth and pushed his dark thoughts away.

The youth mounted Buck and cringed as Issac climbed up behind him.

"You know what, kid? You're not bad company to have around. Too bad you're still a Cartwright, else I'd be half minded to take ya with me to Mexico."

* * *

"Okay, we've got everything we need," Candy despondently reported. "Let's just get this over with."

Adam nodded as he peeled back the blanket that was damp with Griff's sweat so he had a good view of Griff's infected ankle. The limb was swollen and beat red with patches of purple surrounding the bite wounds. The alarming sight only instilled more determination in Adam and he grasped the knife that had just been heated and washed in alcohol.

"Griff?" Candy summoned as he ran a hand through the nineteen year-old's sable hair. "Griff, we've got to clean your ankle again. It's gonna hurt, but you have to stay as still as you can, okay?"

"Wh-what?" Griff shakily said as he blinked. He felt like there was a raging fire all around him and unless he concentrated on Candy's face, gunshots and wolf howls drowned out all other noise. "I… I…"

"Candy, we've got to do this now," Adam ordered, jolting his friend out of his doubtful thoughts.

When Griff cracked open his eyes, he caught sight of the knife in Adam's hand and began flailing about as much as he could in his weakened state. "No… No!" he protested. "Don't cut it off, please… Please! Candy, you can't let him!" the teenager cried. "Promise me you won't!"

"Take it easy, Griff," Adam tried to soothe. "I'm just gonna clean and drain it, okay?"

A delirious Griff was not convinced. He continued to struggle in earnest as if he had not heard Adam. "Candy, don't let 'im! I-I… I'd rather be dead than a cr-cr-cripple."

Candy stretched his arm across Griff's chest to hold him down. "Griff, I promise we won't take your foot," he confirmed. "But you have to calm down now so we can get rid of this infection."

"No, you can't… You can't!" Too far gone to comprehend Candy, Griff carried on, half-sobbing and half-yelling. Every now and then, Candy and Adam could pick out a coherent word but Griff was slipping farther and farther into delirium and there was nothing they could do to stop it. "Shoot me… Oh, God. Issac, I…? It hurts… It hurts real bad…"

Without missing a beat, Candy drew back his fist and clocked Griff in the jaw. The blow put an end to Griff's thrashing and the boy became eerily still. "I had to," he whispered. "He wasn't gonna calm down and I knew if he didn't…"

Adam nodded. "You did the right thing, Candy," he affirmed. The eldest Cartwright son chose not to mention that if this procedure did not take affect, Candy might have to break his promise to Griff. Pushing that grim thought out of his mind, Adam steeled himself to make the first incision into his young friend's flesh.

* * *

Ben Cartwright sat at his desk and with the lamp burning high, he counted out the sum of money that he needed to buy back his son. He looked up when he heard footsteps descending the stairs and saw Hoss making his way into his office. As glad as the aging ranch owner was to see his son, he wished Adam and Candy would appear and let him know Griff's surgery went well.

"Pa?" Hoss left his question unasked as he watched his father counting up the notes at his desk.

"You should be restin' that head of yours," Ben responded despairingly.

"What's goin' on? Where is everybody?" Hoss asked.

"Joe and Doc are heading into town to pick up the medicine that Griff needs. Adam and Candy are with the lad. And Jamie... He..." Ben's voice broke and he found himself unable to continue.

"Where's Jamie, Pa?" Hoss persisted, getting more worried by the minute.

"Issac's got him up at Montpelier Gorge," Ben revealed in a strained voice. He picked up the creased ransom note and held it up to his son.

Hoss took the parchment and read its contents. His brows knitted together and he cursed under his breath. "You're not goin to pay him, are you, Pa?"

"Hoss, I may not have a choice. The longer that animal has Jamie...no, there is no other choice. I'll be leaving at first light. On my own," Ben gave his last words heavy emphasis.

"Pa, there ain't no way I'm gonna let you go out there by yerself! No, I'm comin with ya."

Ben sighed and looked into his son's eyes. Hoss wasn't going to give in. "Well, if you insist on coming, you better get some rest first," he suggested.

"All I been doing is restin'," the large man huffed. "Now I'm fine and fit, and I don't need all this fussin'." He glanced up at the stairs. "Is Griff doin' any better?"

"Worse," sighed Ben. "His fever has been spiking and I'm afraid he's losing all sense of reality." Hoss's face fell at that report. "Those wounds are causing him an awful amount of pain and…" Ben paused, barely ready to vocalize the possibility. "Doc Martin has said that if Griff gets much worse, amputation will be the only option to save his life."

Hoss swallowed. "You mean, cut off his foot?"

"No," the father explained gently. "The infection has spread so far, Doc Martin says he'll have to take the leg from the knee, to be sure."

"Oh, Lord," gasped Hoss. "When will we know if he's gonna… If Griff's gotta…"

Ben sipped at the cold coffee in his cup. Not even tasting the bitter liquid, he answered, "Soon." They sat together in silence, anxiously waiting for any news on the newest member of their family.


	24. Chapter 24

**Thanks to our readers and reviewers. You may be small in number, but we are SO thankful for each and every one of you!**

* * *

Chapter 24:

Hidden high up among a cluster of boulders overlooking the gorge, Issac directed his young hostage to set up camp. Taking a swig from one of the canteens, he looked out over the horizon. It would soon be sunrise and time to prepare for some Cartwright company.

Jamie carefully watched the convict as he drank from the canteen. The same one he had contaminated with poison ivy. He had deliberately placed the clean canteen deep in one of the saddle bags and made sure the one with poison ivy was clearly visible and within easy reach.

"Get some shut eye," Issac ordered. "Over there by that rock where I can keep me eye on ya. Don't try anything. I'm a light sleeper." Claiming the only bed roll they had, he made himself comfortable and waited until Jamie had settled down before closing his own eyes.

What little sleep Jamie managed to get was riddled with nightmares of wolves, Griff getting shot over and over again, and him pulling the trigger while Issac watched and laughed like a bloodthirsty maniac. He woke up with a start when Issac's boot kicked at his legs.

"Rise and shine, boy!" Issac said gruffly. Rubbing his lips, the convict was surprised to feel them blistered and sore. In fact, the inside of his mouth felt tingly, too. Chalking it up to having been bit by ants during his sleep, he ignored the growing discomfort and peered over the gorge. The first rays of the morning sun bathed the land in its glory and Issac had every plan to bask in it once he had himself some of that Cartwright money and was safely on his way to Mexico. _It is a darn shame_ , he thought, that Griff had once again slipped through his fingers but so long as he was free, there was always a next time and he had every intentions of remembering that. As for the Cartwright boy, he thought about taking him along once he put a bullet into his pa's skull. Of course that would all depend on whether or not things went according to plan. It would be such waste to kill a useful lackey, but that was all young Jamie Cartwright was worth to him and nothing more. He wondered if it were possible to get the kid on his side. After all, he might make a wonderful scapegoat for a crime down the road.

"Hmm?" Jamie grumbled, somewhere between full wakefulness and slumber. When he opened his eyes and saw the gorge, Jamie thought that everything had been a dream and that he would find Hoss, Joe, and Griff milling about their campsite. That illusion only lasted a split second. "Ohh, y-yeah."

Issac licked his lips, trying to rid himself of the dental discomfort. "Why don't you get to startin' breakfast?" He spit as an unnatural amount of saliva formed in his mouth. "I'm hungry." Left without a choice, Jamie submitted to Issac's orders and began rifling through the saddlebags for the hard trail-biscuits and jerky Issac had brought with him. "Think yer daddy will make it here in time for lunch?" he jeered, absent-mindedly scratching at his lips again.

Jamie noticed the small action and steeled himself not to smile. "Be careful, Pa," he quietly whispered to himself, looking out for any sign of his father.

* * *

After what seemed like hours of performing the crude surgical procedure, Adam was finally satisfied that Griff's foot had been cleaned and drained of as much pus as possible. Thankfully, Candy's punch had rendered Griff unconscious for the whole procedure. Leaving Candy to settle the unmoving youth bad into a comfortable position, Adam collected the instruments and went downstairs to clean them and get a fresh cup of coffee.

Adam wearily climbed down the stairs and was not surprised to be met by his father and brother, Hoss.

"How is he?" Ben asked anxiously, one hand resting on the banister.

"I wish I could tell you, Pa, but I'm no doctor. I did what I could for him but fever's still pretty high and the pain hasn't lessened," Adam sighed, rubbing the stiff muscles in the back of his neck.

"Give it time, son. Doc and Joe should be back any moment. In the meantime, I'm gonna head out to Montpelier Gorge. It's light enough and the sun will keep rising on the way there."

"I'm goin' with him," Hoss insisted.

"So am I," Adam said firmly.

"You need to get some rest." Ben shook his head in the negative.

Adam looked his father in the eye. "Jamie's my brother, too, in case anyone's forgotten. I'm goin'. Candy can stay with Griff."

Ben sighed heavily. If he weren't so weary with worry, he would have reprimanded Adam for speaking out of turn but as it were, now was not the time for them to be divided. "Alright." He nodded. "Hoss and I will get the horses ready. Let Candy know we're leaving."

"I'll get some coffee for him."

"You best get some into you too, Adam," Hoss suggested.

Adam nodded then headed for the kitchen.


	25. Chapter 25

**Thanks to our loyal readers and reviewers. You are small in number but grand in significance!**

* * *

Chapter 25:

After adjusting Griff's pillows and fixing his blankets, Candy allowed himself a small reprieve to lean back in the chair beside the bed. "Griff, buddy…" he said in a small voice. "I didn't mean to hit you that hard." He placed his hand on Griff's forehead to gauge his fever. It was difficult for him to tell if Griff's temperature were lower, but it definitely was not higher. He figured that had to be good sign, but Candy would have felt a lot better if Griff would awaken. "Gimme a signal you're still in there, pal."

Candy's humble prayer was answered and Griff started to move restlessly. The pain in his foot fogged his thoughts and for the life of him, Griff could not remember where he was. He remembered burning and being unable to move. If he was unable to move, he must be restrained or held in a confining room. Griff rocked forward in panic, only to find himself covered by a thick blanket and lying on a bed. Squinting, he craned his neck to make out where he was. More memories tumbled into his head. Griff recalled getting shot and fighting the wolf. Joe and Jamie had been taking care of him in a shack and… His train of thought ceased, thinking he had solved the mystery. Griff figured he was still in the shack, which meant they were miles from the Ponderosa and help. He slumped back on the pillow and moaned. The burning sensation in Giff's ankle became excruciating and the fire around him returned in full force. He gingerly tried to move away from the fire, but it seemed to be everywhere and Griff let out a frustrated and fearful cry.

"Attaboy, Griff. Take it easy," Candy crooned and rubbed Griff's exposed arm in a comforting manner.

The foreman's husky voice penetrated Griff's fever, but only slightly. Griff did not understand how or why Candy had appeared in the shack, but at this moment he did not care. No matter how miserable Griff was feeling, he knew he could depend on Candy to make him feel better. "C-Cand-dy?" he softly asked, checking to make sure that he was not hallucinating.

"Yeah, Griff," Candy smiled, sitting on the bed so he could get a closer look at the wounded youngster. "I'm right here, buddy. How you feeling?"

"H-hot," Griff honestly reported. His energy was completely drained and his usual tough exterior that often drove everyone else crazy had completely disappeared. It scared Candy to see the ex-convict so transparent. "It's real hot. A-and m-my leg hurts. Shoulder, too. Hurts bad, Candy." He threw up his right arm around his head. "M-make it stop, p-please…?"

If punching Griff in the face to calm him down before surgery had not upset Candy, seeing the hardened nineteen year-old in such agony did. "I know it hurts, Griff. Doc will be back with that medicine soon, I promise," he assured. He wondered if the doctor would include a painkiller along with the antibiotics and fever-reducer. Despite Griff's low tolerance for most drugs, perhaps it would be best for everyone if his pain were kept under control using chemical means. "Shh. Try to relax."

"Hurts too much…" Griff shook his head as the pain travelled throughout his body. "Candy? Take me home, Candy," he begged. Still caught in the throes of his fever, Griff thought he was trapped in the line shack on the trail. "Wanna go home, p-please…"

"You are home, Griff," Candy disputed, at a loss of how to logically argue with someone in such an irrational state. "See? Look around. We're at the Ponderosa."

"No… N-no." Seeing Griff was getting agitated, Candy snaked his arm around the young man's neck and allowed him to rest against his broad chest. "Home," he insisted pitifully. "Take me home… I wanna go home. To see Thunder. Miss him," Griff cried disjointedly, working himself up again. "Please Candy, it r-really hurts, an' so hot I..."

Candy did not know how to respond, so he held Griff tighter as the boy continued to ask for his beloved horse and for his unbearable pain to stop. Griff pressed his face into Candy's shoulder, taking a small amount of solace, but he could not understand why his best friend was not helping him feel better.

With two cups of steaming coffee in his hands, Adam entered the room and found his two friends in that exact same position.

"Home… T-take me home," Griff desperately pleaded again. "Home w-with Thunder… My leg! Hurts ba-bad. I wanna go home!"

Candy looked up at Adam with eyes full of tears, silently begging for any advice on what to say to the delirious kid. Griff continued to struggle, but he could not make his mouth form the words he wanted, so his requests came out as pained cries instead.

The Cartwright son sighed, but he had nothing to offer Candy. "Brought you some coffee," he stoically said, placing the mug on the nightstand beside Candy.

Candy nodded, grateful for the beverage but too afraid to let go of the quivering teenager. "Thanks," he breathed. "I'm gonna need it. Got a feelin' this is gonna be a long night."

The beads of sweat on Griff's skin seemed to form right before Adam's eyes. "Yeah. I know how hard this is on you," he sympathized.

"Not as hard as it is on him," Candy shrugged off in a thick voice. Griff bucked in his arms, arching his back to escape the sweltering humidity that overwhelmed him. Candy reacted quickly and held Griff closer until the spasm passed. "God, Adam. He's fightin' so hard, but… I don't know how much longer he can keep this up."

Griff collapsed against his best friend, his energy spent for the time being. "Sh-shot… Home, pl-please..." He gulped a few ragged breaths and tried to take control of the burning pains in his leg and the ache in his shoulder.

"I don't know," Adam honestly observed. "But I do know that he'll fight as hard as he can for as long as he can."

"He's not even twenty yet," Candy lamented, brushing back a saturated stray lock of hair on Griff's forehead. "I'm scared he never will be."

As much as Adam wanted to reassure Candy that Griff's demise was unlikely, they both were familiar enough with death to know that the injured man was slipping away before their eyes. If Doc Martin did not arrive soon, it would be impossible for Griff to rally. "He knows you're here and that helps him. Stay with Griff and he'll do his best," the eldest Cartwright finally advised. "Pa, Hoss, and I are leaving to get Jamie. We're ready to pay Issac."

Griff flinched at the mention of Issac's name and Candy quickly shushed him. "You're fine, Griff. Just rest." Turning back to Adam, Candy grimaced. "Good. Get him out of there as fast as you can. Don't let Issac..." Candy trailed off, inwardly shuddering when he thought about the last time the Cartwrights had confronted Issac. "Bring Jamie home."

Sharing Candy's worry, Adam slowly nodded. "We will." He started to leave, but Candy voice stopped him and he paused in the doorway.

"When Griff gets better, he could use someone to help him get around," the foreman predicted with a half-smile. "Y'know, with chores and everything."

"Jamie'll be more than happy to oblige," Adam winked. He was glad to hear Candy use the word 'when' and not 'if.' "I got a feeling he'll be at Griff's beck and call for while." With one last look at the two men, each suffering greatly, Adam left to go meet his father and brother outside so they could depart.


	26. Chapter 26

**AN: Special thanks goes out to our faithful readers...**

* * *

Chapter 26:

Biting his lip until it bled, Issac took another swig from the canteen. The water did nothing to alleviate the irritation and waiting for Ben Cartwright to show up only exacerbated the bumps he could feel running along his gum line. "Your Pa's sure takin' his sweet time to get here."

Jamie sat with his back leaning against a boulder and kept his eyes on the ground. He wished Issac would just stop talking to him. He'd been careful to take covert sips of water from the canteen he'd hidden in his bed roll but the last swig he took was some time ago and now his mouth was parched. His natural instincts were to lick his cracked lips but he didn't expect Issac to pay any attention to him.

"Here, drink some of this, kid." Issac stretched out his arm and offered up the canteen he held.

Jamie shook his head automatically. "No, thank you. I'm not thirsty."

Issac retracted his arm, took another swig then something dawned on him and he slowly took the canteen away. "Hey, I haven't seen ya drink a drop since we stopped at that stream. What's the matter, boy?"

"Nothin', sir, I just ain't thirsty," Jamie lied.

Issac searched the boy's face and looked for some sign that he was lying when the sound of a horse's light whinny reached his ears. He sprang to his feet, rifle in hand, cocked and ready. "Wait here!"

Jamie sat up straight, his heart pounding in his chest. If his Pa was nearby, he feared what Issac would do. He didn't want anything bad to happen to him. _I have to do something!_ Waiting until Issac had disappeared between the rocks and shrubbery, he then slowly rose to his feet and prepared himself to fight the convict with his bare hands if that was what it took to defend his father. On his way to the steep incline, he found a sizable stick and picked it up. _It's better than nothing_ , he thought. Suddenly a great, big, black stallion appeared from between the rocks and over the rising hill. It reared up on its hind legs when it came face to face with the boy, Jamie gasped and took several steps backward, tripping over loose rocks under his feet. "Whoa, boy! Easy!" Recognition and shock hit Jamie when he realized the horse was Griff's beloved and loyal steed, Thunder. "It's me, Jamie!" he coaxed, dropping the stick he held out his hands, trying to calm the distressed animal.

"Why you!" Issac's snarl only made matters worse. He slung the rifle over his shoulder then raced toward the horse, reached up and yanked the reins hard.

"No, wait! You're gonna hurt him!" Jamie cried out desperately. He moved forward and placed himself between Issac and Thunder but the enraged convict shoved him out of the way and the teen fell back and slipped on the rocky surface. He lost his footing as large chunks of the earth and rocks gave way. The youth grabbed a handful of low lying shrubs and held on for dear life. "Help! Please, help me!" he cried out, breathlessly, unable to pull himself up as more rocks and dirt broke free and tumbled down to the gorge below.

Issac looked behind him but all he could see were the boy's hands wrapped around a bunch of twigs that were slowly being pulled out of the ground by his body weight. He cursed out loud, knowing he had to make a choice: let the horse go and save the merchandise or force the animal into submission and sacrifice the boy. With an exasperated snarl, Issac released the reins and allowed the frightened animal to sprint away then hurried over to the edge of the incline and pulled the teenager back up to higher and steadier ground.

"Stupid, kid!" Issac growled. "What were you thinkin', huh?"

"I know that horse! You were scarin' him!" Jamie panted, brushing himself off.

"Oh yeah? And you almost got yourself killed! You're no good to me dead!" Issac yelled. He lashed out and back handed Jamie across the face. This time, he didn't pull back but hit the boy hard.

Jamie saw stars as he fell against a boulder. His cheek connected with the hard surface and everything went black.

"Goddammit, kid! Now look what you made me do!" Issac crouched down and turned Jamie over onto his back. The boy was out cold. The red mark on his cheek was already swelling and his bottom lip was bleeding. With a sigh, the convict hooked his hands under Jamie's arms and dragged him back to camp.

* * *

As they rode in silence towards Montpelier Gorge, Adam and Hoss stole glances at each other. Their worry for their father grew with each passing minute. Having confronted Issac before, Adam knew just how dangerous the criminal could be. Issac was no one to trifle with, however, the eldest Cartwright son had a strong feeling that the outlaw had no intention of letting Jamie return to the Ponderosa alive. _I_ _n fact,_ Adam mused, _Issac probably doesn't want any of us to leave alive._

"Pa!" Adam called, but Ben was lost in his own thoughts and did not turn to face his son. "Pa?" he called again.

"Hmm?" Ben grunted, snapping back to reality. "What is it, Adam?"

"I know we want to bring Jamie home safe, but we can't just pay and expect Issac to keep his word. We need a plan."

"And if it fails, your brother is as good as dead," Ben countered. "We can't take a chance th-"

"Pa, Adam's right," agreed Hoss. "At least a plan will give us a fightin' chance!"

Adam wracked his brain for a solution. "Besides," he finally said. "Issac's expectin' Pa to be on his own, right? That means we've got the upper hand. If we can surprise him, we can get Jamie out of there before Issac knows what hit him."

Ben grimaced, but he realized that his son was right. "What have you got in mind?" he asked.


	27. Chapter 27

**To all readers and reviewers: Thank you so much for the support! Hope you enjoy this installment.**

* * *

Chapter 27

Quickly searching through his medicine shelves, Doctor Paul Martin handed off bottle after bottle to Joe. "Antibiotics for the infection, quinine for the fever, laudanum for the pain.." He was grateful that full bottles were in stock.

Joe perked up as he took the last glass bottle from the white-haired man. "Laudanum?" he questioned. "Doc, last time Griff was on laudanum he-"

Paul was well aware of his patient's low tolerance for the opium-based chemical. "I know, Joe. I remember, but it's just in case the pain is too great for him." He traced his hand along the collection of tonics before stopping at a bottle with a cloth folded over it. "Aha! Ether."

"More surgery?" Joe asked in a disappointed tone. He knew that ether was used to put people to sleep before their surgeries. Breathing in even just a few drops could render a man Hoss's size dead to the world for most of the day.

Paul nodded, pressing his lips into a straight line. "It's just precautionary, but I have to be prepared if the leg needs to be taken," he clarified in a steady voice.

"Doctor! Doctor!" the nurse summoned, bursting into the office. "Davie Fisher and his mother just came in. The boy has a bad stomachache an-"

Exasperated and overtired, Paul sighed and started to say, "You'll have to tell them I'm sorry, but I have another patient who is critical. Can't you handle it?"

"I examined Davie and talked to his mother," the nurse countered, shifting her weight. "It's his appendix. It needs to come out and it needs to come out now."

"Oh no…" Paul's face fell and he turned to Joe, who still had the four bottles in his arms. "Joe, I'll have my nurse write down the instructions for administering all that before you go but, you'll have to go back without me. I…" He bit his lip, cursing the fact that there he was the only doctor in a fifty mile radius. "I"m sorry, but there's not much more I can do for Griff other than prescribe those medications and wait. Davie has a good chance if I get him into surgery now."

"I understand, Doc," Joe solemnly acknowledged. "You're doing your best and we appreciate it."

"I'm sorry," Paul apologized. "I'll be out to see Griff as soon as I can. Hopefully he'll still be…" The doctor chose not to finish that sentence as his nurse handed a paper to Joe before prepping the office for Davie's surgery. "Take Fly with you. I've got my horse horse here when I head back to your place."

"Thanks. Good luck with Davie and please," Joe breathed. "Come out as soon as you can."

Tucking the precious medicine into the saddle bags, Joe mounted Cochise and tugged at Fly's reins so the mare would follow. He sped up his horse and prayed that Griff would still be alive when he returned.

* * *

Coming to, Jamie groaned and lifted his head up just in time to see Issac about to tip some water from the canteen over his face. He swung his arm and knocked the canteen out of Issac's hand.

"What in blazes do you think yer doin, kid?" Isaac fired up before comprehension dawned on him. He picked up the now empty canteen and using its surface as a mirror he peered into it and touched his blistered lips. "That look like… Poison ivy, huh? Makes sense now. Played a trick on my cousin once using poison ivy. Think I wouldn't catch on, boy? Think I'm stupid?"

Jamie felt his heart freeze. He didn't dare move a muscle.

"Where's the other canteen?" Issac spat.

Jamie pointed to his bed roll. "In there."

"Go get it!" Issac barked.

Jamie didn't wait to be told twice. He scrambled shakily to his feet and hurriedly retrieved the item.

Issac snatched the canteen out of Jamie's hand and wiped the mouthpiece with his shirt. "Did you know that dying of thirst is a slow and painful way for a man to die, Jamie Cartwright? You're about to find out first hand cause there be no more of this here water for you after that little stupid trick you pulled. You're now worth the money and every canteen your Pa brings with him. And you know how far away the stream is don't ya, boy? By the time they get ya there, you'd be a gonner, " Issac laughed.

Jamie gulped and wished he hadn't tried to outsmart the criminal. He berated himself but it didn't make him feel any better. _If Pa wasn't already disappointed in me, he would be now,_ Jamie thought. "Yeah. I already am," he challenged under his breath, but Issac did not hear him.

Looking out over the the horizon, Issac spotted on rider heading for his direction. "Aha!" he squealed, rubbing his hands in delight. "Looks like my patience is finally payin' off!" He checked to make sure his gun was loaded. Pointing the barrel in Jamie's face, Issac grabbed a fistful of Jamie's shirt and ordered him to sit on top of a boulder so the boy could be plainly seen. Still dizzy from his hit on the head and weak from thirst, Jamie stumbled a bit, but he made it up and took a seat when Issac prompted him.

Cocking the gun he had stolen a few days earlier, Issac stayed to the side and out of sight. He waited until the hoof-beats got close before yelling, "Cartwright! Cartwright, I got a gun to your kid's head, so if you want him alive, you better drop your weapons and not try anything." A thud indicated that the man did so and Issac was almost giddy.

Without moving, Jamie squinted against the sun. To his surprise, he saw that the man was actually Hoss, not his father. Issac was hidden and too far away for to make the distinction, but Jamie was sure it was his brother. He knew that his father would never send Hoss out to confront Issac alone, especially with his recent injury. Figuring that his father was not far off, Jamie's heart leapt in his throat. As much as he wanted to escape and never see the convict again, the sixteen year old could not help worrying for his family. _I practically killed Griff already. I can't get anyone else killed, too!_

"Put your hands in the air and come up here real slow, Cartwright," Issac ordered. "Any sudden moves and Little Jamie is gonna be blown ta bits."

The figure in the distance complied and stopped at the bottom of the incline. He kept his head down, his face hidden by the brim of his hat.

"That's good, Cartwright! Drop the money right where you are then turn around and ride out nice and slow," Issac commanded.

The rider slowly unfastened one of the saddle bags and tossed it in front of him."What about the boy?" He finally looked up, revealing his identity.

"You're not Ben Cartwright! Where is he?" Issac hollered, beginning to lose his temper as he grew suspicious that a trap was in the making.


	28. Chapter 28

**AN: As always we'd like to take the opportunity to first thank our readers...now we can continue...**

* * *

Chapter 28:

"I'm right here, Issac!" Ben Cartwright announced from behind his son's captor. He had his pistol in hand, pointed at Issac. "You have your money. Now let him go."

Issac took Jamie in a headlock and swung him around with him to face his negotiator. "How do I know the money's in that bag down there?"

"You'll have to take my word for it!" Ben retorted

"And once I get my hands on it, you'll shoot me in the back. No, I'm not stupid. Get down there and bring me that bag. And tell that oaf to ride on outta here!" Issac ordered.

Ben bristled at the man's words but he knew he had to keep his temper in check until Jamie was safe. His heart clenched at the sight of the bruises that marked the boy's face and the fear in his eyes. "Let the boy go and you have my word that we'll give you a head start before I hunt you down myself!"

"Don't you threaten me, Cartwright! I give the orders 'round here!" Issac warned. He tightened his hold on Jamie's neck until the boy began to choke.

Jamie tugged at his captor's arm, struggling to breathe.

"I'm losing my patience and young Jamie here is runnin' outta air so you best do as I say real quick!" Issac fumed.

Jamie's struggles against the hardened criminal became weaker and Ben could tell that with each passing moment tha Issac was supporting most of the youngster's weight. He had a sinking feeling in his gut that his son was losing consciousness from lack of oxygen.

"C'mon, Cartwright," prompted the outlaw. "You wanna watch your kid die?"

"Let him go, Issac!" Another voice ordered. With a gun poised at Issac, Adam stalked towards him from the side.

Surrounded by the Cartwrights, Issac twisted his head back and forth resting his eyes on Ben, Adam, and Hoss in turn. When he finally got a clear look at Hoss, Issac gasped, realizing that the larger man was the drifter he had bushwhacked earlier in the week. " _You_? You is a Cartwright, too?" he marvelled. "Just how many o'them are there!?"

Adam did not take his finger off the trigger. "It's over, Issac. Give up now while you're still alive."

"You shoot an' I'll snap your brother's neck before that bullet leaves your gun. That goes for any of ya!" Issac threatened. "Not to mention I just might put Jamie in the way. I heard King's dying from an accidental bullet. You want to do the same to Jamie?" He swallowed nervously, hoping that he could find some way to get out of this alive. "What? Nothing to say?" Issac said to Jamie menacingly. "You weren't quiet yesterday when we had our nice little chat. Don't cha remember? When we talked about King's stay in prison…"

Ben, Adam, and Hoss remained unfazed, but each of them silently wondered what Issac had meant by that.

"P-pa…" Jamie wheezed. "I didn't mean… I'm s-sorry."

"Sorry?" Issac mocked. "Oh, you didn't seem sorry before," he added deceptively. "No, siree…" He took a few steps, making sure he kept Jamie close to his own body. "As far as King goes, seemed like we were in agreement. In fact, since we're such good pals, I think I'll be taking Jamie Cartwright with me on my travels."

Jamie resumed his struggles, but it was futile. Issac maintained a strong grip.

Ben could not stand seeing his son in such a perilous situation anymore. "You aren't going anywhere with my son," he emphatically stated.

Just when it seemed like nothing would break the tense stalemate, a screaming whinny echoed through the gorge. Issac's head moved a fraction of an inch to see what creature uttered the horrific sound, and the Cartwrights took that opportunity to make their move.

The black stallion that had appeared earlier reemerged from some nearby shrubbery. Its ears twitched nervously as it became distressed when the reins became entangled in the branches and brambles.

Jamie's will and reserve were bolstered by the sound of Griff's horse. The animal that everyone had almost given up on finding alive. The boy kicked back, catching Issac's shin then stomped down hard on his foot before ducking out from from his captor's loosened hold. He grabbed a handful of dirt and tossed it into the criminal's face.

When the loose grains of sand made contact with Issac's blistered lips, he let out a scream of agony and automatically released the boy.

Finding the opening he needed, Adam rushed forward and tackled Issac to the ground but the momentum carried them over the edge of the steep precipice overlooking the gorge where Hoss stood horrified.

"Adam!" Ben yelled.


	29. Chapter 29

**Thanks you, readers, for your support! We appreciate every hit, review, alert, and favor!**

* * *

Chapter 29:

Jamie scrambled to his feet, feeling powerless to help.

Adam tried to get a stable foothold but Issac, who was positioned above him, aimed a kick at the rancher's face. Slipping a few more inches, Adam managed to get a decent grip but each time he hoisted himself further up the cliff face, Issac would deliberately scrape his boot down the rough surface and the debris would rain down on his intended victim. The convict's luck ran out when the rocks he'd been holding onto broke free causing him to slip.

Unfortunately for Adam, Issac's full weight crashed into him and they both fell further down the incline. Adam held back a groan as the sharp rocks cut into the palms of his hands and the sudden impact of Issac slamming into him left him winded. The convict managed to find another crevice to hook his hands into and start climbing back up but it wasn't long before he failed to secure a strong enough foothold to hold him. Out of desperation and malice, he kicked out once again, catching Adam in the shoulder and knocking his arm away. The Cartwright heir gasped as he almost became airborne. Swinging his body back against the cliff face, Adam saw another wild kick headed his way.

Gritting his teeth, he summoned the last of his strength to free one arm. He grabbed Issac's trouser leg and yanked down as hard as he could, pulling the criminal free from where he clung. With a gut wrenching scream, the convict lost his grip and plunged to the gorge below with a sickening thump. Breathing heavily, Adam tore his eyes away from the bloody and twisted body of Issac Warren and concentrated on making the treacherous climb back up the jagged cliff face.

"Adam!" Hoss called, poking his head around the ridge to make sure he had not fallen to his death with Issac. "Grab the rope!" he shouted, throwing down the lifeline over the ridge for his brother to grab onto.

Adam pried his hands, one at a time, from their locked position and hung on to the rope with all his might. Ignoring the jolting pain flaring up in his palms and the ache in his battered body, the oldest Cartwright heir began climbing the ridge to reach his family while Hoss used the rope to help pull him up to safety.

As soon as Issac had fallen to his timely demise, Ben had sprinted over to his youngest son and wrapped him in a tight embrace. "Jamie, are you okay?" he asked after a tender moment. "Did Issac hurt you?"

"I'm fine, Pa, really. How's Griff?" Jamie wheezed painfully.

"Holding his own," Ben answered evasively, still not ready to break physical contact with the teenager. "These bruises on your face look pretty painful."

Jamie swatted his father's hand away as Adam and Hoss approached.

"Lordy, Jamie, you gave us quite a scare!" Hoss marvelled. "It's good to see you, boy!"

"We're glad you're alright," added Adam who leaned against Hoss for support as the rush of adrenaline from the fight left his system.

"I've never been more happy to see you," Jamie sighed in relief as he finally allowed himself relax. "All of you! I'm so sorry for all of this. It was my fault you had to come here. If you hadn't-"

"Jamie," Ben interrupted. "I would've paid a million dollars to get you back. This is not your fault. Besides, you freed Doc Martin so he could help Griff. That might have saved his life."

"After I almost ended it," Jamie mumbled under his breath, but no one was able to hear him.

Adam rubbed at his hands, trying to get the circulation in in his fingers to return. "Speaking of Griff, let's head back. Candy has been running himself into the ground takin' care of the kid."

At that moment, Jamie wanted nothing more than to return home to the Ponderosa with his family. "Buck's over there," he informed. Hoss was quick to retrieve the horse. "And Thunder was…" Jamie whipped his head around. "I… Where'd he go?" Before they could stop him, Jamie ran over to the brush where he could have sworn he saw the black stallion. Spotting the loose dirt and ripped up shrubbery, Jamie concluded angrily, "He's must've twisted himself free. He's gone. Again! I lost Thunder again!" He looked out in the distance but could see no sign of the horse.

At the mention of Griff's missing mount, Ben turned Jamie so they were face to face. "Jamie, are you feeling alright?" he asked, wondering if the boy had a hidden head injury. "Are you sure it was Thunder you saw?"

Jamie mutely nodded, not really knowing what else to say. The toll of the last couple of days started to weigh down on him. He was hungry, thirsty, exhausted and every inch of him was sore but most of all his heart felt heavy with the burden of guilt. All he wanted to do was go home and beg for Griff's forgiveness if he wasn't going to be too late. Hot tears threatened to well up in his eyes and he made every effort to stopper the flow. Swiping at his eyes, Jamie tried to shrug away from his father.

Understanding that the boy needed a moment away from his brothers' scrutiny, Ben looked up over his head and said, "Hoss, check on the horses and bring them over here. Adam, go with Hoss. You best get those wounds on your hands cleaned up. There's a full canteen in my saddle bag."

Adam, who would normally have insisted that he was fine, got the message loud and clear and made no attempts to argue the point as he and Hoss both headed for the horses.

"Jamie, you can't keep blaming yourself for what happened to Griff any more than you can blame yourself for the sand storm that took Thunder away," Ben asserted. "The shooting was an unfortunate accident and no one can assume responsibility for Mother Nature's actions."

"Issac told me why Griff was in prison. Even if he survives, he'll kill me! You don't know what he did. None of you do!" Jamie confessed his fears.

"As a matter of fact, I am very much aware of Griff's past mistakes and what drove him to commit the crime he was punished for. We all know," Ben explained.

"What- you do? Why didn't y'all tell me?" Jamie was unable to hide his shock and disappointment at the revelation that he was left in the dark when it came to Griff King.

"Because we didn't feel it was necessary. It was hard enough for Griff to tell us, we wanted to respect his need for some privacy. The last thing he wanted was for people to judge him based on his past and not for the person he is today," Ben explained.

"He seems pretty tough to me," Jamie mumbled.

"That's what he would like people to believe. No one wants to admit they're scared of being locked up in a dark room all alone."

"But it was his Pa he hit..."

"He was Griff's step-father and he beat on Griff all those years before the boy finally had enough and tried to defend himself the only way he knew how. Issac's version of the truth are garbled with lies and I would pay no heed to them." Seeing the confusion that flashed across Jamie's features, Ben could tell that Issac did more than simply kidnap him for ransom. Once again, the convict managed to weasel his way into the family and plant seeds of doubt and mistrust. Ben hoped that Jamie and Griff would manage to work out whatever differences they previously had, but now, that seemed like a near-impossibility. "Come on now. Let's go home."

"But what about Thunder?" Jamie weakly insisted.

"We'll search for him soon," Adam promised as he brought their horses forward. "But there's nothing we can do now. Griff needs us and you need rest, Jamie."

Resigning to that declaration, Jamie mounted Buck behind his father as the four men delayed the gorge for home. Feeling safer than he had in a long time, Jamie relaxed against his father's chest. Although he would never admit it, it did not take Jamie long to be lulled to sleep by Buck's steady footfalls.


	30. Chapter 30

**Thanks to all our reviewers and readers!**

* * *

Chapter 30:

"He had to what?!" Candy fiercely growled as he twisted open one of the medicine bottles. "But Griff-"

"Can't be given priority over a nine year old who needs surgery," finished Joe. "Candy, you can't blame Doc for staying." He matched the open bottle with the directions on the notepad. "Those are the antibiotics. Give him two full spoonfuls now and one spoonful every three hours."

Griff was completely limp on the bed. Fever ravaged his slender body. He was devoid of all color except two rosy patches on his cheeks. His bleary eyes were open, but unseeing. As Candy tried to get Griff's attention, the two briefly made eye contact, but it was clear that Griff was only looking through Candy. After a moment, Griff's eyes tracked around the room. Joe and Candy were left to imagine whatever it was that Griff was seeing.

"Sure," Candy resigned. Although the doctor's absence had made his blood boil over, Candy felt as if ice water were running through his veins when he realized that Joe was right. He gently laid a hand on Griff's burning forehead and swiped his hand through the still teenager's curly hair.

"Griff? Griff, we've got some medicine for you here. Can you sit up a little?" Griff gave no sign that he understood. Unable to wait, Candy and Joe hooked their arms under the youth's shoulders and pulled him into a sitting position.

Griff moaned in protest, but he was unable to stop the pain that threatened to force him into unconsciousness.

Candy held out the spoon and skillfully slipped it into Griff's mouth. The miserable parolee twisted his head to the side, but Joe cradled his head in his hands so Candy could keep feeding Griff the multiple medicines that would hopefully be enough to save his life.

"That's the first dose of the antibiotics and quinine," Candy stated when he finished. "I'll hold off on the laudanum for now. He's tuckered out enough to sleep for a week."

"When he turns the corner, he might need it." Joe gave Candy's shoulder a small squeeze as they both watched Griff fall back to sleep. "Now we wait."

* * *

As the four Cartwrights reached the main house on the Ponderosa, they wearily dismounted with Jamie helped by down by Hoss. The boy leaned heavily against his brother, too exhausted to hold himself up. Once they were inside, they were met by Joe who had just climbed down the stairs.

"What happened? Did Issac..." Joe began.

"It's all over. We don't need to worry about him anymore," Ben cut his son off, not wanting to relay the gruesome details of Issac's demise until Jamie was out of earshot. The boy was traumatized enough as it was, he didn't want to remind him of the nightmare they had just took him away from.

Joe's look of confusion was replaced with a silent understanding as he took in the condition that Jamie was in and Adam's disheveled appearance. He moved forward and tilted Jamie's face up to get a better look at the damage Issac had inflicted. "Why don't I take care of Jamie while y'all get yourselves cleaned up?"

"I..." Ben started to decline the offer but Joe was already steering Jamie away.

Just as his two younger brothers reaches the the bottom of the stairs, Hoss called out, "Joe, you think Doc might be able to take a look at Adam here when he's done with Jamie?"

"Hoss, there's no need, I'm..." Adam protested but the look on Joe's face cut him off.

"Doc's not here. Little Davey Fisher needed his appendix removed right away so he couldn't make it back with me," Joe relayed solemnly.

"What about the medicine? Griff needs that!" Hoss disputed.

"I took it back with me along with a few others Doc told me to give Griff. Candy and I have done just about all we could. It's up to Griff now. He's asleep so at least he'll be able to get the rest he needs."

"Candy must be out of his mind with worry," Ben commented.

Joe nodded and an awkward silence fell among them ending the conversation. Leading Jamie up the stairs, Joe steered him past the guest room. Jamie stopped in the hallway and peered inside to find Candy's sitting vigil by Griff's bedside. "Come on, let's go." Joe ushered the teen past to his room and sat him down on the bed. "I'm gonna go get some water and broth. Stay here."

Jamie nodded. This time, he had no intentions of breaking his word as Joe slipped out of the room and closed the door.


	31. Chapter 31

**Thank you for the continued support, dear readers and reviewers. We are extremely grateful!**

* * *

Chapter 31:

Adam opened the door to Griff's room and was not surprised to find Candy slumped his seat next to Griff. The small noise of his entrance startled Candy into wakefulness, although lines of grogginess still marred the foreman's eyes. "Any change?" Adam asked, referring to Griff.

"It's only been a few hours," Candy evaded, not directly answering the question. The answer was too grim. "He needs his next dose in about ten minutes." Then finally turning in his seat to look at Adam, he was shocked to see the scrapes and bruises on his face and the bandages wrapped around both hands. "What happened?" Before Adam answered, the foreman cursed his memory and ran his hand over his face. "Jamie. I'm so sorry, Adam. Did you get him back? Is he alright?"

"Yeah, we got him back. He's alright. Looks like he was knocked about a bit but nothing serious. Just some cuts and bruises. Joe's taking care of him. We're all fine," Adam replied with a small smile of relief that they had Jamie back home, safely.

"Thank God," Candy breathed.

"I'm gonna find something to eat in the kitchen. Care to join me?" The invitation was more a direct order for Candy to take a break. "We'll come back in time to give Griff his next dose, I promise."

Hungry and exhausted beyond words, Candy nodded. He simply didn't have the strength to argue over a reasonable suggestion and he knew that if he was going to be watching over the ailing youth throughout the night, he would need his strength. He gave Griff's hand a squeeze and slowly rose to his feet. "I'll be right back, buddy." To Candy's and Adam's surprise, Griff gave a slight squeeze back. "Hey, Adam, I think he's waking up!" the ranch foreman gasped, returning to his seat. "Griff, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes for me, pal?"

In a haze, Griff could hear a familiar voice beckoning him into awareness. The more awake Griff became, the more pain he felt. With a sharp intake of breath, Griff forced himself into wakefulness and somehow managed to crack open his eyelids. He attempted to open his mouth to form words, but that proved a little too much for Griff. All that came out was a low moan. "Hmmm…"

Adam knelt down near the bed on the other side of Candy. "You with us, Griff?" he softly asked.

"No," Griff huffed, still annoyed that Adam and Candy would not let him sleep. "M'tired," he admitted. "Real tired…"

"Wait, wait a minute, kid!" Candy tapped Griff's face to keep him conscious. Griff was still unnaturally hot, but Candy could have sworn Griff felt just a little built cooler. "Don't fall asleep yet."

"Ain't no kid," Griff protested mechanically.

Adam patted Griff's cheek affectionately. "Sure, Griff, sure," he placated. "Think you can take some medicine?"

"Guess so." Griff's head flopped to the side when he ran out of energy to hold it up any longer. "Wha' happened?" Before anyone answered his question, Candy stuck a spoon in front of Griff's mouth and encouraged him to take the medicine. "Blech!" he complained, grimacing. "Tastes awful..."

"That means it's working," Adam coyly answered. He thought back of all the times he had stayed up with his younger brothers when they fell ill during childhood. "Open up."

Griff sullenly obeyed, but he glared daggers at Candy for allowing such an injustice to occur. "Wha' happened?" he repeated.

"We brought you home and did some surgery on your foot," he patiently explained. "That bite wound got infected an-"

Griff launched into a sitting position as he eyes widened in fear. "No!" he cried. "No, you didn't! You didn't!" he wailed hoarsely, fighting the two pairs of arms that restrained him. "Candy, you promised me you wouldn't!" He twisted violently, tearing at his healing shoulder wound. "How could you? How could you do it?!" he screamed, too distraught to notice that his right foot, though tender and painful, was still attached to his leg. "No! You promised me! You promised!"

"Griff, listen to me!" Candy roared and even Adam flinched but at least it put an end to the young man's earnest struggles.

Griff looked at Candy more out of shock at his raised voice than anything he had actually said.

"Your foot is right where it should be. It's been that way all this time. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Candy painstakingly enunciated every syllable until he saw a look of comprehension light up in Griff's watery eyes.

Although the youth managed to process what was said, he still wasn't entirely convinced and he looked down at himself. Adam pulled down the blanket and showed Griff the heavily bandaged limb and only then did the young man believe Candy that his appendage was safely intact.

Griff lay himself back down and sighed heavily. He shivered despite the blanket having already been drawn back up to his chest. "I'm... I'm sorry. I thought…"

"It's alright, buddy. Just take it easy," Candy soothed. He squeezed the youth's arm and watched as his eyelids drooped down. Pleased and relieved when the sound of steady breathing reached his ears, the foreman ran the back of his hand across his brow, wiping the perspiration off his face.

Adam rested his hand on Candy shoulder and said, "Looks like you could use a drink as well as some food in you. Let's go before he wakes up."

Too exhausted to answer, Candy nodded and rose to his feet. The muscles in his lower back protested and his the stiffness in his legs from sitting too long made themselves known. Groaning, he followed Adam out the door, all the while turning his head back to ensure that Griff was indeed fast asleep.


	32. Chapter 32

**Thanks, lovely readers and reviewers! We know this is short, but the next chapter will be double the length. Hope this can hold you until then.**

* * *

Chapter 32:

Joe returned to Jamie's room to find the youth still sitting where he had left him. He placed the bowl of water on the bedside table and pulled up a chair. Sitting in front of the teen, he reached into the bowl and squeezed the excess water out of the cloth he had left to soak. With one hand gently tilting the boy's face up toward him, he carefully dabbed at the dirt and dried blood on his lips and cheeks. Jamie visibly winced as his lip started to bleed again. Joe took out a clean handkerchief from his pocket and held it to Jamie's mouth. "Here, hold it there for a minute. Bleeding should stop pretty quick. It's not that bad."

"I'm such a screw up, Joe. Griff's hurt because of me and... and look at all the trouble I've caused for you and Adam, Hoss and Pa." Jamie's muffled words were filled with sorrow and guilt. "Even Thunder."

"Hey, you think I was the perfect kid growing up? I made a lot more mistakes than you did. Hell, ask just about anyone in town and they'll tell ya. What happened when you shot Griff was an accident. It might have a careless mistake on your part but it was still an accident. You need to accept that so you can learn from it and move on. Beating yourself up is just gonna tear you up inside. Believe me, I know," Joe lectured.

"Griff probably hates me! Issac told me he had a bad temper. Told me…."

"Griff doesn't hate you. His anger is just a way for him to hide his fear. There's something you need to understand, Jamie. Griff may be older than you but he never had a childhood. All his life he lived in his step father's shadow, even when he was in prison. Fear was something he lived with every day of his life but he kept those feelings bottled up inside in order to survive. Now that he's had to adjust to a life where he can live it without looking over his shoulder, well, it's gotta be overwhelming for him. There are still certain situations he doesn't yet know how to react to. In a lotta ways, Griff is still more a child than a grown man. He doesn't know how to cope with the answers to all the questions that we want to ask him. Give him some space to breathe and let him figure some things out on his own."

Jamie nodded thoughtfully, trying to understand the enigma that was Griff King. "How will he ever forgive me?"

"Well, first you need to forgive yourself, Jamie. That's probably the hardest thing for a man to do." Joe smiled and ruffled up Jamie's hair.

"You know, I do ask a lot of questions, don't I?" Jamie felt the burden of guilt slowly lift from his shoulders.

"You bet you do! Griff's just too afraid to tell ya that himself."

"Griff? Afraid of me?" Jamie said incredulously.

"I'm sure he doesn't want to be so just ease off on the questions until he's ready to open up himself, okay?"

Jamie nodded. "You know what I'm gonna do first thing in the mornin'? I'm gonna look for Thunder and I'll bring him back home."

Joe cocked an eyebrow. "Tell you what? Come morning I'll go help you look for him, alright?" While he felt doubtful that they'd find Griff's horse, there was no sense on dashing the boy's hopes when hope was the one thing that Jamie really needed right now to lift the heavy burden from his heart.

"You'd do that for me, Joe?"

"Sure. But first you need to get some rest. Now, are you hurting anywhere else?" Joe patted the boy down, gently palpating his sides for signs of damage to his ribs.

Jamie shook his head in the negative but he couldn't hide his flinching.

Joe lifted Jamie's shirt and examined the boy's torso but apart from a few minor bruises, nothing was seriously damaged. "Alright, let's get you into bed. I'll expect you to be up nice and early."

"Joe?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks."


	33. Chapter 33

**Many thanks to our readers and reviewers!**

* * *

Chapter 33:

That night, Jamie tossed and turned as much as his aching muscles would allow. Nightmares from scenes of the past few days interrupted his slumber and he found himself unable to close his eyes without seeing Issac's chilling grin or hearing Griff's anguished screams. Instead, Jamie tried to distract himself with other thoughts.

His mind raced as he tried to think of the best possible plan on how to find and capture the horse. Finding Thunder was a tall task, but Jamie was determined. He knew that he would have to be careful and accurate if he wanted to have any chance at retrieving Thunder. Thinking of his father's and brother's lessons when he would watch new horses be approached and gentled, Jamie paused and forced himself to think through his plan. Thunder had just about the worst reputation on the Ponderosa. It was common knowledge that he behaved well only when Griff was sitting in the saddle.

Rolling over, Jamie came to the conclusion that he would not be able sleep anymore. Surveying the night sky from the window, the teenager figured that dawn would not break for at least a few more hours. He snatched the shirt hanging on his bedpost and stretched before rising to his feet. As quietly as he could, Jamie walked down the hallway and froze when he heard voices downstairs. He instantly recognized them as Adam and Candy and tiptoed past the staircase. Both would have ordered Jamie back to bed and he was too determined to give up now. _Besides_ , the boy rationalized, _if I don't keep going, I might lose my nerve for good._

Jamie continued down the hall and stopped in front of Griff's room. He had to see for himself that Griff was alive and, in a manner of speaking, alright. The door was slightly ajar and he timidly pushed it open. As Jamie stepped into the room, he could hear rustling movement and soft, periodic moans. Scared that Griff was in some sort of relapse, Jamie rushed to the bed and lit a candle so he could see.

Unaware of Jamie's presence, the light scared Griff and he flinched. "Ah!" he cried, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the light.

"Ah!" Jamie parroted, shocked at the sudden noise. "It's okay, Griff. It's just me."

"J-Jamie?" he breathlessly asked, instantly relaxing. "What are you doin' here in the middle of the night?!"

"I… I couldn't sleep," Jamie shrugged. "So I thought I'd keep you company." Griff blinked, digesting the information. He had not spoken to the boy since the accident and the parolee found it difficult to figure out what to say. Thankfully, Jamie continued speaking so Griff would not have to. "Wait, why are you awake?"

Griff sighed, a little embarrassed at what he was going to say. "I can't sleep, either," he admitted. "The pain's getting a little hard to tolerate and I w-"

"Oh!" Jamie gasped, jumping up from his seat. "Adam and Candy are downstairs. I'm sure they can give you some m-"

Griff raised his hand to silence Jamie. "No, no!" he yelped. "Adam and Candy need their rest, and I don't want no laudanum. I don't like the way it makes me feel." The ex-con shifted uncomfortably and dropped his gaze to avoid Jamie's questioning stare. "It gives me nightmares," he explained after a long moment of silence. "And I can't wake up, so it's like I'm stuck there."

Jamie genuinely nodded, picking up on the vulnerability in Griff Joe had hinted at earlier that night. "Okay, I won't tell 'em," he promised.

"Thanks," said Griff sheepishly. "The pain ain't too bad. It just kinda flares up sometimes."

"Yeah," Jamie said listlessly, predicting that the pain was much greater than Griff admitted. "I'm sorry about that."

Pursing his lip, Griff reflexively swallowed. He had not wanted to get into a heavy discussion right now, but he needed something to take his mind off the pain. "I know you are," he acknowledged. "My memory's a little hazy, but I think I recall you sayin' something about that."

"I was stupid, a-and careless, and reckless, and stupid," Jamie listed. "I should've aimed better. When I saw it was you I shot, I was just about ready to fall over and die. It was all my fault!" He winced, clenching his jaw. "But when that wolf attacked you…"

"You made a mistake," Griff shrugged. "And yeah, it was stupid, careless, reckless, and stupid," he playfully grinned. "But that's okay. People make mistakes every day. Jamie looked unconvinced, so Griff added, "I forgive you."

"Oh, Griff, thank you!" Jamie burst, wrapping his skinny arms around Griff's neck.

Griff was taken aback by the display of affection, but he hesitantly put his good arm around Jamie to complete the embrace. "Don't worry about it," he reassured the child. A pang of jealously and longing nagged at Griff. When he was Jamie's age, he had been a resident of the Nevada State Prison for approximately a year. Interactions like this would have been a foreign concept to sixteen-year-old Griff King. They broke contact, although neither really wanted to. "I know it's hard to look past stuff like this, but you also helped save my life," Griff smiled sadly. "And getting kidnapped by Issac? I know from experience that's no picnic."

"You know about that?" Jamie gaped.

"Bits and pieces," Griff admitted. "Like I said, I can't really remember much except some fever dreams and hurting bad, but sometimes I'd catch a word or two. It don't take a genius to make sense of 'Issac,' 'Jamie,' and 'ransom'."

"What were your fever dreams about?" Jamie asked innocently.

"I…" Griff started, finding it a little difficult to keep his eyes open. "I made some mistakes in my life, too, Jamie," he answered cryptically. "But I haven't been able to forget about it like you will." Griff's breathing began to slow and Jamie leaned forward to hear the ex-con as he speech became softer and more slurred. "Trust me; you don' wanna know 'bou' it."

Jamie could see Griff was growing drowsy and even though he had burning curiosity about Griff's past, he knew it was not fair to badger Griff into spilling secrets. "We can talk later," he suggested. "I think you're gettin' tired."

"Mhmm," the injured man sighed. Before he could stop himself, he groaned, "But m'leg hurts too much."

Jamie frantically looked around to ease Griff's pain in some way. He had promised not to send for Candy or Adam, so he new he would be on his own to help Griff. _I just can't let him down again._ "Okay, okay," he mumbled to himself, searching the room for a solution. "A-ha!" he cried, fingering through the bookshelf. He lit another candle and browsed though the titles there. "Here, I'll read to you," he volunteered. "Because he said you like these fancy books."

Griff did not have the energy to show his excitement, so he gave Jamie's hand a small squeeze. "I'd like that a lot," he tensely bit out, trying to get a handle on the pain.

"This is Adam's. It's called 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,'" Jamie proudly introduced.

As he began to read, Jamie could see the calming effect literature had on Griff. The rhythmic rhyme of the poem served as a painkiller and his restless movements slowed and eventually ceased. The nineteen year-old's eyes slipped closed until Sir Gawain's noble steed was described. When the horse was mentioned, Griff flipped his head over so he was not facing Jamie. If the younger boy had not been studying Griff's figure, he would have missed hearing the small sniffle.

"Gawain's horse sounds like Thunder," Griff whispered brokenly, so tired he was unable to stop himself. "I really miss him."

Jamie pushed on with the myth, but he knew that Griff's spirits were severely dampened when he was reminded of his lost mount. Finally, Jamie could see that the rise and fall of of Griff's chest had evened out, signalling the wounded ranch hand had surrendered to slumber. Jamie closed the book and watched Griff sleep, pondering how someone so brusque could offer, even desire, such comfort. Before he, too, fell asleep, Jamie's last thought was a promise to himself that he would do all he could to find Thunder and return him to Griff.


	34. Chapter 34

**Thanks for all those who read and review! We personally thank those who sign the reviews, and extend our thanks publicly to everyone, including anonymous readers, too.**

* * *

Chapter 34:

When the sun rose the next day, Joe knocked on Jamie's partially closed door before he pushed the door open all the way and found an empty bed. Wondering where the youngster had gone and hoping he hadn't left on his own, Joe decided the next place to check would be the stables but Adam's tap on the shoulder stopped him in the hallway.

"If you're wondering where our little brother's gone, you might want to check out our young friend's room," Adam whispered, nodding his head in the direction of Griff's room.

Joe took his brother's advice and peeked into the guest room. Sure enough, Jamie was slumped over the bed, seated in his chair with his head resting on Griff's chest.

Joe tip toed into the room, placed a hand on Jamie's shoulder and gently shook the boy to rouse him.

Jamie woke with a jolt and spun in his seat.

"Good morning, sleepy head," Joe greeted in a hushed voice so as not to wake Griff.

"Morning," Jamie yawned and stretched his stiff and aching muscles. "Thunder!" Thinking that he had slept in, he jumped to his feet quickly and almost toppled the chair over.

"Sshh!" Joe placed his finger to his lips. "Come on, get dressed then meet me downstairs. I'll get us some breakfast before we head on out."

"Okay," agreed Jamie as he and his older brother slipped out the room. Both Joe and Jamie allowed themselves one last look at Griff as they left. It was shocking how young the so-called violent ex-con looked while sleeping with one arm thrown up around his face to block out the sunlight.

Not a second after Joe and Griff left, Ben and Hoss entered the room as a precautionary measure. Now that Griff was waking up and getting more lucid, no one in the Cartwright house wanted him to wake up alone.

A quick glance at Griff told Ben that the nineteen year-old was close to consciousness. Griff's uninjured leg twitched and his eyebrows were pulled taught.

"He's surly a fighter," Hoss remarked, taking a seat and signalling for his father to do the same.

Ben crossed his arms in front of his chest and nodded. "That he is," the patriarch smiled.

Griff tensed as the pain pulled him out of blissful unawareness. "Mornin'," he croaked lazily, wincing.

"How are you feeling?" Ben quickly asked, placing a hand on Griff's forehead to feel for a fever. The boy was still a little warm, but the burning fire that had overtaken him earlier was gone.

"Mmm," Griff hesitated. "M'okay. In pain, but, it ain't too bad."

"How'd you sleep?" inquired Ben.

"Though the night," Griff lied. Ben raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Almost. I did wake up a few times," he corrected. "A lot." Rolling his eyes, Griff restated his original answer. "I didn't sleep so good."

Hoss laughed at Griff's attempt at a white lie. "We figured as much," the large man winked. "Are ya hurtin' bad?"

Figuring the truth would be known anyway, Griff answered honestly. "Yeah."

"I'll fix you some laudanum," Ben offered, pouring a glass of water and counting out two pills from the bottle Doc Martin had left.

"I don't need that," Griff insisted, staring at the pills as if they were full of poison. "You know what happened last time."

"Yes," Ben acknowledged. "You took too many at one time for multiple days. You stopped before the addiction took hold. Now that you need them and have us to monitor you, there's no chance you'll abuse the medication."

Hoss noticed Griff's face fall. "Griff, it'll be okay," he assured, surprised to see the young man so shaken up at the thought of taking the strong pain medication.

"It's not the addiction I'm worried about," he made known. "It's the… W-well…" Griff stuttered. "Sometimes the nightmares get a little… Out of control. And suddenly I'm snapping at everyone and crying the next minute. I just don't like not being in control."

Hoss whistled. "I reckon that is a mite scary." He placed the heel of his right foot on the knee of his left leg. "But the more you're hurtin', the more upset you'll get, and the longer it'll take for ya to heal."

"So what you say?" Ben chimed in, holding out the pills expectantly.

Sighing out of defeat, Griff took the pills and washed them down with some water. He leaned back against the pillows that Hoss had propped up so the young man could stay in a semi-seated position. "I don't want to fall asleep."

"If you do feel tired then don't fight it. We'll be watching over you," Ben promised.

Griff nodded, though he was not thoroughly convinced.

* * *

After his second serving of beans and a good portion of the loaf of bread that he shared with Joe, only then did Jamie remember that he hadn't eaten in almost two days.

"You know, if Hoss was here you'd make him proud!" Joe quipped in a good natured tone. "Come on, help me clean all this up so we can saddled up already."

Once the dishes were washed and the table cleared, the two brothers headed out to the barn and saddled up their mounts.

"Does Pa know where we're goin'?" Jamie asked.

"Yeah, I told him when I woke up. He wants us back before sundown tomorrow."

"But what if we need more time? What if we don't find Thunder by then?" In truth, Jamie had expected they wouldn't return home without the missing horse even if it meant spending a few nights sleeping under the stars. With Issac gone and the wolf killed, it wasn't like there were any other signs of imminent danger lurking between the ranch and Montpelier Gorge.

Joe allowed a moment's pause as he checked to make sure they had plenty of water and food packed for the trip."Jamie, Pa wants us home for Griff's birthday celebration. With or without Thunder, we're going to throw Griff a small party. The guys will be back in a couple of days from the range and so will Hop Sing. With plenty of rest, we think Griff will be strong enough to celebrate his own birthday with us. If we can't find that horse, he's gonna need something to cheer him up. There's no sense in giving him false hope." Joe walked Cochise out of the barn.

Jamie's cheeks reddened when he realized that perhaps the only reason Joe was out looking for Thunder with him was to help him let the horse go. To prove to him that Thunder wasn't coming back. "So this is what it's all about, isn't it? You don't think we'll find him, do you?" Unable to contain his emotions, Jamie let his thoughts out in the open.

Joe stopped in his tracks and turned around. "I didn't say that but you gotta accept the possibility that we may not find him. Jamie, I know how much this means to you. I just don't want to see you chasing down miracles only to find out the hard way that miracles don't always happen. I'm sorry."

"If we don't find Thunder, Griff's gonna be the one who's sorry," Jamie predicted under his breath. He swung up onto Fly and trotted past Joe.

* * *

"Care for some company?" Candy offered, sitting down in the chair across from Adam and stealing a slice of toast.

"Always," smiled Adam. "But who's with Griff?"

"Doc Martin just stopped by. He's giving Griff a once over now," the foreman explained. "Before he went upstairs, I invited him to the party, as well."

"Excellent, and speaking of which…" He pulled out a notepad. "We're agreed?" Adam double checked. He took another sip of his coffee and placed the mug on the stand near the settee. "It'll be the dictionary?"

Candy pursed his lips and nodded. He ate the last bite of toast and put his hands together to rid them of crumbs. "That bridle will only remind him of this whole mess. But I hope you're right. The last thing I want to see is his birthday gift collecting dust in the corner."

Adam crossed his legs and took down the information about the dictionary from the catalogue Mr. Shaw had let him borrow. "I guarantee he'll use it all the time," he promised.

"He sure does like readin' your books, though, don't he?" Candy asked rhetorically.

Adam let out a short laugh. "I'll say!" he remarked proudly. "He goes through those novels like nothing." Adam carefully folded the paper with the information on it and slipped it in his pocket. "I'll go see what Mr. Shaw can go for us. It'd be a shame if we had nothing to give Griff next week at his surprise party."

"You know how Mr. Shaw is," Candy scoffed. "Maybe slip him a little extra? That always seems to miraculously get the shipments moving."

Adam tipped his hat and took his leave, knowing full well that Candy was absolutely correct.


	35. Chapter 35

**AN: As a treat for our loyal readers we are working on posting chapters more frequently.**

Chapter 35:

Discouraged that their search had so far been fruitless, Jamie let his thoughts stray to Griff and what little he had disclosed last night about his recurring nightmares. Jamie was no stranger to nightmares, either, especially after his father had died. In fact, the first time he had met Ben Cartwright, the kind man had woken him up from a traumatizing dream. They were disorientating and, to Jamie, embarrassing. Thankfully, after he had begun living on the Ponderosa and eventually adopted into the Cartwright family, his nightmares faded then stopped altogether. If Griff is still having nightmares, Jamie rationalized, something awful must have happened to him.

"Joe, how come laudanum makes you have nightmares?" Jamie finally vocalized after coming to the conclusion that his silent pondering was not giving him the answers that he wanted.

"There's a chemical in it that kills pain by..." Joe explained, trying to remember what Doctor Martin had summarized when he prescribed the medication to him. "Umm, well, I don't really know how it does that. But anyway, when it does that, it makes you see things that aren't there."

"And these things," Jamie persisted. "Are they the bad things that happened to you?"

"Seems that way, but I guess it also depends on each person," the older brother confirmed.

"Oh." Jamie turned his attention back to the prairie and scanned for any sign of Thunder. "What kinda bad things happened to Griff to make him refuse the laudanum? I mean, Pa kinda glossed over it, but what exactly happened? You all must know something!"

"Jamie!" Joe reprimanded, surprised that his younger brother's characteristic inquisitiveness had turned so dark. "You know I can't answer that."

"But I just w-"

Cochise bobbed his head up and Joe was quick to give his horse an affectionate rub to calm him down. "No buts about it," insisted Joe. "Taking away a man's privacy is like taking away his dignity. Griff's past is not some dime novel for you to peruse any time you want."

"I know that!" Jamie defended.

Joe softened his tone when he saw Jamie's shameful expression. "I know you're just worried, but since that's the case, why don't you ask Griff about all this?"

Jamie shrugged, keeping his eyes on Fly's mane. "I dunno. I don't wanna seem intrusive or anything. I just figured since everyone else seems ta know..." the boy's voice trailed off when a soft whinny caught his ears, warranting his immediate attention. "Did you hear that, Joe?"

"No, what is it?" Joe scanned the area around him, every muscle in his body tensed as he prepared himself for danger.

Instead of answering, Jamie slowly headed toward the direction of the noise.

"Hey, not so fast, kid!" Joe nudged Cochise in the ribs gently, urging his mount onward.

Sure enough, Jamie's hunch paid off but not in the way he had hoped. The prized and temperamental black stallion he'd been praying to find stood before him but his normally glossy coat was slick with sweat and his mane matted in knots and grime. Wheezing snorts filled the air and his eyes were watering. Jamie's heart caught in his throat. He had hoped to find the horse in reasonably good health, not like this. He dismounted from Fly and slowly walked up toward Thunder.

"Jamie!" Joe's voice cried out sharply, stopping the teen in his tracks. He, too, climbed down from his mount.

"Joe, what's wrong with him?" Jamie asked tentatively, frightened of what the answer might entail.

"He's sick and he's scared. Just stay where you are. I'll see if I can get up close," Joe replied. With his hands outstretched, he inched his way closer to the trembling horse, all the while searching the ground nearby for rattle snakes that could spook the horse more.

Thunder started to become unsettled the closer Joe moved toward him. His eyes grew wild, his nostrils flared, and his hooves pranced in the small space he was able to move in. With his reins tangled in the bramble bush, his movements were restricted. "Easy, boy, easy. Not gonna hurt ya," Joe murmured to the distressed animal.

Jamie felt completely helpless as he looked on and tried to stay completely still but it was proving to be difficult when all he wanted to do was head on over to Thunder and stroke him.

Just as Joe's fingers reached out for the reins, the horse pulled away and reared up on his hind legs, his front hooves almost connected with Joe's chest. The rancher jumped back and fell on his behind, injuring only his pride.

"Let me try!" Jamie insisted, determination bolstering his spirits. He hurried over to the panicking steed and came to a halt in front of Thunder. Making sure to stay out of the horse's reach, Jamie crouched down to make himself appear less threatening. "Easy, boy," he whispered. "I just want to help you, okay?" Slowly sidling towards the tangled reins, the sixteen year-old continued to speak softly to keep Thunder calm. "Will you let me do that? 'Course you will. You're doing great."

Joe slowly got to his feet and dusted himself off. Although he did not want Jamie to approach the nervous horse, it became obvious that Jamie was making some progress and he knew that any sudden movements could spell disaster.

Thunder flattened his ears back against his head and snarled, but he stopped rearing up on his hind legs. He panted loudly, unable to get a full breath. The familiar scent of Cochise and Fly calmed Thunder down slightly and he flinched as Jamie's hand neared him. Completely spent of energy, the black horse twitched back and forth haphazardly, attempting but failing to bolt.

"There we go," Jamie crooned, gently pulling the reins free. He made sure to keep an iron grip. Thunder had eluded him for far too long, but Jamie would do all he could to make sure the horse returned with him.

Once Thunder saw that he was freed, the two Cartwrights expected him to live up to his reputation and fight back with unparalleled fury. Instead, the horse stumbled backwards but could not do much more than that.

"Oh, Thunder, Griff is gonna be so happy to see you! He missed you so much," Jamie beamed. "Once we getcha back home, it'll be like you never left!"

Joe cautiously walked to Thunder's side and began inspecting the horse."That's a good boy," he murmured. His stomach flipped over itself as he noticed the various cuts and bruises that marred the black horse's body. In addition to that, Thunder seemed to be favoring his front left hoof and had lost some weight. "Bet you're just as glad to see us as we are to see you, huh, fella?"

"Joe," Jamie gaped, seeing how weak Thunder was under Joe's gentle probing. "He's so sick. How are we gonna get him back to the Ponderosa?"

Joe pursed his lips uneasily. His love for horses was legendary in the Nevada territory, but as much as Joe wanted to reunite Thunder and Griff, he was not so sure it would be possible. "I, uhh…" he stuttered, still focused on Thunder. "Jamie…"

At the tone of his older brother's voice, Jamie's face fell. "Joe, we can get him home, can't we?"

Joe crouched down to get a better look at the hoof Thunder deliberately kept weight off of. "We have to figure out his condition first."

"But, we can't go home without Thunder!" protested Jamie. "What would Griff say if-"

"Forcing this horse to make it all the way back to the Ponderosa might kill him," Joe finally admitted. "And that'd be cruel. Griff wouldn't want Thunder to suffer anymore than he already has, would he?"

"No, I guess not," shrugged the youngest Cartwright.

"And you certainly have suffered," Joe cooed to the horse under his breath. He watched sadly as Thunder continued to pant and quiver. Guttural moans came from the exhausted animal, worrying his human companion even more.


	36. Chapter 36

**AN: Once again, we'd like to thank our wonderful readers and to show our gratitude, here's another installment.**

With Jamie's help, Joe quickly cleaned the wound above Thunder's hoof which was probably the primary cause for Thunder to be favoring his left leg. He tied Jamie's neckerchief around the beast's ankle then continued his examination. A thorough assessment combined with the lack of grazing vegetation in the area brought to light the probability that the horse was suffering from some kind of bryony plant poisoning. While horses would generally avoid these plants, if left with no other option, Joe remembered his pa telling him that they would consume the plants out of desperation. Having learned from experience, he recognized the symptoms and together with sightings of the plants' black berries, he was confident with his diagnosis. There was no cure for the poison and Thunder's best hopes of survival would be to keep hydrated and to rely on a small dose of a miracle to give him enough strength to travel back to the ranch where he could be rested and fed properly. If he made it that far then only time will tell if he will survive the illness.

"Joe, what can I do?" Jamie asked.

"There's very little either of us can do for him. But, if you can find your back to that stream we passed a little while ago, you can fill these water skins right up and bring them back. You may have to do a couple of trips before we call it a night," Joe instructed. He draped a blanket over Thunder's back and stroked his nose to comfort him but the temperamental animal jerked away from Joe's touch. "Easy, boy. I know you would rather it be Griff here takin' care of you but right now he needs some care too."

As if he understood what Joe had said, Thunder bobbed his head and snorted harshly.

"I don't like it any better than you do but we're stuck here together so let's just try to get along."

Jamie couldn't quite hold back his laughter when Thunder gave Joe a hard nudge and sent him sprawling to the ground.

With just his pride wounded, Joe got up and brushed himself off. "If that's the way you want it, fine! Just don't be expectin' any more attention from me," Joe grumbled. Though he was a little annoyed and frustrated by the stallion's lack of cooperation, he couldn't deny he was amused by Thunder's unique personality. Giving him a smirk and a shake of the head, the rancher turned to Jamie and gave him the all clear to fetch the water.

The two brothers took it in turns to sit vigil by the sick horse but they soon discovered that it was only Jamie he trusted to brush him down and water him. The only time he allowed Joe close enough to be within an arm's reach was when it came to answering nature's call. In such instances, Joe felt the animal didn't need to be so close to him that his boots became victims time and time again. Of course, Jamie found the situation entertaining to say the least.

The next day, Jamie awoke to find a still very ill horse but his hopes were raised a notch when Joe informed him that Thunder's fever had broken. Though the news was positive, they both knew it didn't mean that Griff's mount was out of danger. His muscles were still visibly trembling and he was losing bodily fluids quicker than his body was able to take them.

"We'll have to break camp and move out. The longer we wait, the weaker Thunder's going to be and the less chance he has of making it back to the ranch."

* * *

Blinking lazily, Griff forced himself to concentrate on the miniature wooden rocking horse perched on the nightstand. He had to keep himself awake with something, but the medicine he had taken earlier rendered him too tired to do anything but relax into the cozy bed. "Like that horse," he remarked, pointing to the figure.

"Sure is a beaut," agreed Hoss. "Pa made it for my birthday when I was eight," he recalled.

Griff looked confused for a moment, as if his muddled brain were struggling to follow the conversation. "Birthday? Oh, I mean, yeah. It was probably a nice gift."

"Yeah, birthday," Hoss confirmed, unsure if the unspoken sadness in Griff's voice was due to the medication or something else. "When's yours?" he casually asked to make it seem like he had no idea the date was actually coming up.

"Don't matter," Griff evaded. "I don't celebrate it. Just a normal day like any other," he sighed.

Crossing his legs, Hoss shook his head. "Even iffen you don't celebrate it, it's still a special day."

Griff exhaled loudly and his head slumped forward. Hoss thought that the laudanum had finally dragged Griff under its influence, but after a moment, the raven-haired teen threw his head back into an upright position. "Hmm," he responded, clearly not comprehending what Hoss just said.

"Why don't you take a nap?" ventured Hoss. Although he was surprised Griff had held out this long, he knew the young man could not keep himself awake and aware much longer. "I'll be right here the whole time," he softly added.

"Don't wanna," slurred Griff, crinkling his brow. "'Sides, 'm not tired…"

Hoss shrugged, wishing he could find some way to get through to his drowsy friend. "Okay. It'd only be for a few hours though. I'll hafta wake you up by then for your next dose of medicine."

"M-more?" Griff repeated, his voice slightly wavering. He was not sure if he could fight off another dosage.

Nodding, Hoss placed his hand on Griff's forehead to gauge his dying fever. "Can't have this fever climbin' again." The fair Cartwright son was pleased that Griff's temperature was steadily decreasing, but he was even more pleased to find that Griff relaxed at his gentle touch. He slowly slid the back of his palm to Griff's cheek. Unprepared to resist such a calming touch, Griff's eyes slipped closed. "Still planning on stayin' awake 'till then?"

"Mhmm," Griff answered affirmatively. Try as he might, he could not find the strength to force his eyes back open. "Jus' restin' my eyes…" His breathing evened out and Hoss could feel the now dead weight of Griff's head press into his hand, signalling the ex con had finally started surrendering into a drugged sleep.

"Sure," smiled Hoss, replacing his hand with a pillow. "There you go."

"Bir'days ain't special," Griff mumbled in his sleep as snuggled deeper into the soft pillow.

Hoss was just about to that declaration respond when his father entered the room. "Oh good," Ben approved, spotting Griff's slumbering "You finally got him to sleep I see."

"Boy's been fightin' a losing battle tryin' ta keep himself awake," Hoss whispered.

"Can't say I blame him. Reliving a nightmare that was his whole life before he came here is a high price to pay for an escape from the physical pain. Not being able to control the emotional side effects must be terrifying," Ben summed up.

Hoss nodded thoughtfully.

"Son, why don't you take a break? Get some rest. I'll watch over him for a while." Ben clapped a hand on Hoss's shoulder and was pleased he wasn't going to get any arguments from him.

"Sure, Pa." Hoss rose to his feet and stretched his stiff muscles. With one last look at the sleeping youth he turned and left the room.

Ben sat down in the same seat that occupied his son moments ago. He reached into the bowl of cool water on the bedside table, squeezed the excess liquid from the rag he'd left to soak earlier then placed it on Griff's forehead. The boy's eyelids twitched and he moaned softly as his troubled dreams were warded off by the sudden cool yet calming effect the damp rag had on him.


	37. Chapter 37

**AN: Thanks again to our readers! On a side note, some research was done on horse illnesses that were common in that era and their treatment. We tried to keep things as accurate as possible but that area is foreign to us so please forgive if we made any errors :-)**

* * *

Chapter 37

The trek back to the ranch was painstakingly slow going for Joe and Jamie. Thunder was being pushed to his limits and the more ground they covered the weaker he became. He was badly dehydrated and with their water supply depleting rapidly, it was becoming increasingly difficult to make progress. There were moments when the horse would stumble and Joe feared he would fall. Exhausted yet determined to fulfill his vow, Jamie dismounted Fly and took it upon himself to walk alongside Thunder, uttering words of encouragement and physically guiding him. Joe kept a steady eye on the horse and the boy, ready to make a grab for Jamie to pull him safely away should Thunder falter.

Even when the duo finally reached the Ponderosa, Thunder continued to deteriorate. Just as Jamie led the horse into his stall, Thunder's legs folded under him and he laid himself down on the ground. Jamie knew how dangerous that position was for a horse and he did his best to coax the animal back up onto his feet.

"C'mon, boy," he softly encouraged, holding out a handful of hay. "You need to eat something and get your strength up."

Seeing Jamie work so tenderly with the horse that had a reputation for being intimidating made Joe burst with pride, but the older brother also knew how grave the situation was. He hoped that the probable outcome would not have a devastating effect on the boy.

After Thunder nibbled on the small offering of food, Jamie stood up and returned to Joe's side. "I'm gonna run and tell Griff he's home," the sixteen year-old smiled broadly. "He'll be so happy. I hope Griff can make it down the stairs soon to see him. I bet he will, right, Joe?"

Joe grimaced, unable to take his eyes off of the rapid rise and fall of Thunder's belly as he breathed.

"Joe?" Jamie prompted again.

"Don't tell Griff. Not just yet," he sadly ordered, stripping off his green jacket. Suddenly, Joe felt much too hot, although he figured it had nothing to do with the sun.

"What?" gasped the boy. "But why? Griff needs-"

"To heal," finished Joe. "Right now, he's doing alright and we have to make sure he stays that way."

"But he thinks Thunder is dead!" Jamie argued.

"And he might be right." As much as it pained Joe to admit that out loud, he knew it was likely. "Suppose we tell Griff about this and Thunder dies. How does that help anybody?"

"But... But that ain't fair to Griff!" Jamie looked back at Thunder and tried to understand Joe's rationale. _He can't die! Not now. Not after all this trouble. It'd break Griff's heart all over again if that happened._

"No it ain't," Joe agreed solemnly. He could see the determination and fierce hope lighting up in Jamie's eyes.

"We have to do somethin' Joe!"

Joe heart went out for the boy and for the sick horse. After a moment of wracking his brain for a way to save Thunder, he nodded. "There is something we can do but it's not gonna be easy."

"Anything, Joe! Just don't let Thunder die without giving him a fair chance," Jamie pleaded.

"Alright. First, we need to keep him up on his feet. I'm gonna need you to find Candy for me. We'll need his strength. I'll go find some things we'll be needin'. Go on, hurry!" Joe instructed.

Jamie wasted no time. He raced out of the barn and back up to the main house to find their foreman.

Joe quickly set about to gather what he needed to make a makeshift pulley system.

* * *

A breathless Jamie entered the main house and started his search for the man Joe had asked him to seek out.

"Jamie?"

The teen stopped in his tracks at the sound of his name being called. He turned around and found Candy stretching as he rose from the sofa.

"Candy...I…er," Jamie stammered. In his haste to find the foreman, he had forgotten about the animosity that he felt Candy had toward him after he had accidentally shot his best friend. Now that he was standing face to face with him, Jamie felt his nerves returning in full force.

Sensing the boy's uneasiness, Candy quickly realized he was the cause. "Are you looking for your pa? He's upstairs with Griff. I can get him for you..."

"No, I...I...no, I'm… Candy, I need your help. I know I shouldn't be askin' but…"

Candy stepped up to Jamie and placed a hand on his shoulder. The boy flinched beneath his touch. _Kid thinks I'm gonna hit him._ He noted the discoloring on Jamie's cheek bone and the healing cut on his lip. The markings left on him by Issac, no doubt. "Jamie, what is it?" he asked in a kind tone.

Taken aback, but relieved at the same time that Candy wasn't mad at him anymore, Jamie relaxed and spoke more calmly, "We found Thunder. Joe and I. But he's really sick. We need your help."

Taken aback by the news, Candy recovered his composure quickly. "Show me." He followed Jamie out of the house and to the barn.


	38. Chapter 38

**Thanks you, lovely readers, reviewers, and alerters. We are so happy for the feedback we've been receiving as of late and hope our work will inspire more. Enjoy this next chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 38:

"Candy, help me with this harness. We need to keep him on his feet!" Joe called out the moment he saw the foreman enter the barn right behind Jamie.

With no time to ask questions on how the horse ended up in the state he was in, Candy rolled up his sleeves and rushed to Joe's aid.

"Jamie, I need you to keep Thunder calm and try to get him to his feet," said Joe. "He can't stay like this for long."

"I barely recognize Thunder," Candy remarked as he fiddled with tying off the end of the harness.

At Candy's presence, the black horse threw back his head and shook. Jamie immediately took his cue and softly threaded his fingers through the animal's mane. "Whoa, easy" he whispered. "He's just here to help you. We all are. Easy now."

To Candy and Joe's surprise, it seemed as if Jamie's voice was actually calming Thunder down. The stallion stopped fidgeting and did not retaliate when Candy lightly palpated his belly. "I can feel his ribs," the foreman marvelled.

"On three, we have to get him on his feet," ordered Joe after he hooked the harness around Thunder's chest and back. "One… Two… Three!" He gestured for Candy and Jamie to take a firm hold of the rope that acted as a pulley.

With strength he did not know he possessed, Jamie heaved to help pull the large horse to his feet. As if inspired by the three men, Thunder did his best to get to his feet, even if he was unsteady. Once Thunder was up, Joe and Candy pulled at the pulley with all their combined might to take the weight off of Thunder before he fell. They quickly tied off the harness and triple checked that the ropes would properly bear the ill horse's weight. Soon, Thunder was supported and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Jamie cocked his head to the side. "So," he shyly commented. "What now?"

"What happened to him? Is it colic?" Candy asked worriedly.

Joe shook his head slowly. "I'm pretty sure it's bryony poisoning. I found the berries in the area and he's definitely showing strong symptoms."

Candy nodded thoughtfully then turned to Jamie's anxious face. "We'll need plenty of water. Tomorrow, we can try to get him to eat some fresh hay but for now, just concentrate on keeping him hydrated."

"I'll fill some buckets right now!" Jamie volunteered. Before anyone could say anything, he dashed out of the barn, eager to help out in any way he can.

"He's a good kid," Candy commented.

Joe was pleased to see the change in attitude Candy had for his young brother. He smiled and absent-mindedly stroked Thunder, which proved to be a bad mistake. With Jamie's presence gone, the horse reverted to being its temperamental self. He snorted and shoved the rancher hard with his nose, sending him sprawling on to the floor of the barn. Candy erupted in a fit of laughter but the joke was on him when the stallion felt the need to pass wind in his direction.

"Ugh!" Candy turned away and started retching, much to Joe's amusement while Thunder acted as though he was just a dumb, sick animal. Knowing better than that, Joe giggled.

* * *

Later that evening, Jamie entered the barn with a lantern in hand, a book in the other and a blanket draped over his arm. He'd just been excused from dinner by his Pa with the promise that he would tuck himself into bed before it got too late. Of course, the boy had other plans. He'd made a promise and he was going to see to it that he was there with Thunder every step of the way to ensure the horse recovered. Even if that meant he camped out in the barn until the horse was strong enough to stay on his feet without the harness supporting his weight.

"Told you I'd be back, didn't I, boy?" Jamie placed the lantern on a barrel, dumped the blanket and book on the floor beside it then closed the gap between him and Thunder and stroked the animal's neck. He looked around and checked to make sure he still had enough water in his bucket. Satisfied that the horse was as comfortable as possible, the teen sighed then plopped himself down on the floor, leaning his back against a post. He opened the book and began to read. "This is called The Three Musketeers _._ It's Griff's favorite. Did ya know that, boy? Well, I don't think I'm as good as a reader as Griff but I sure will give it a try!" Jamie's eyes poured over the words, finding some comfort from the guilt he still felt and a means of staying awake by focusing on something other than Thunder's labored breathing. He hoped it would also provide the animal the same level of solace and a way of distracting him from his discomforts.

* * *

Pulled out of his sleep by a nightmare, Griff's throat suddenly felt like it was full of sand. Thirsty and sweating profusely, the youth reached for his glass of water but found it was empty. He turned his head toward the chair and found that too was empty. With a heavy sigh, he pulled down the blankets, ignoring the pain that flared in his injured shoulder. Gritting his teeth together, Griff swung one leg off the bed then using the hand of his good arm he lifted his other leg and placed his foot gingerly on the cool floor boards. Breathing heavily, he braced himself then slowly applied pressure on both his legs to lift himself off the bed. He used the corner of the bedside table as support then leaned against the wall, allowing it to guide him along toward the door which stood ajar. It was dark but the moonlight shone through the window and a faint glow could be seen through the hallway which probably meant someone was still awake. Leaving his room, the ranch hand continued to use the walls as his only means of support, all the while his ankle screamed in agony and his shoulder throbbed incessantly. _Just a little more, Griff. Come on! Damn it!_

Reaching the landing of the staircase, Griff's face blanched. While he needn't worry about the lighting as the glow of lamps lit along the hallway and in the living room provided enough light, he wasn't altogether sure about climbing down the stairs on his own. He opened his mouth to call out for someone to help him, but all that issued was a sickly croak. Always one to rely on himself, the young man summoned up his courage and gripped the handrail for dear life then took one painful step after the other until at last, he reached the bottom of the last step. Leaning heavily against the banister, Griff took several deep breaths. Looking up, he realized he needed to cross a small but seemingly insurmountable distance between the staircase and the living room without anything to support him. Then from the corner of his eye, he willed himself to believe what he was seeing was real. A pair of wooden crutches were leaning against a small table beside the staircase. Still using the banister for support, he reached out with his bad arm and forced himself to grab the crutches in his trembling exertion made him dizzy and nauseous. He stood still for a moment to allow his stomach to settle and the spinning to cease then placed one crutch under his good arm but his attempts to use a second crutch failed miserably.

Griff found Ben Cartwright's still form lying on the sofa. He was fast asleep. Not wanting to wake him, the young man slowly made his way to the coffee table where a pitcher of water and two empty glasses were perched. Gently lowering himself into a seat, Griff poured himself some water and drank the cool liquid greedily before pouring himself another glass and downing the contents just as fast. His thirst quenched, the ex convict decided some fresh air was in order. It was stifling hot and the effort of getting downstairs had caused him to perspire heavily. His shirt was sticking to his heated skin and his hair was drenched in sweat. He needed to get out of the house. At that moment in time he was willing to stay out under the stars and sleep under a tree if needs be. _Gotta get outta here. Gotta get out. Need some air._

Using the aid of the crutches once again, Griff left the house and breathed in the cool night air. The light breeze swept through his shirt, sending chills down his back. He shivered but more out of relief from the oppressing heat he felt when he was inside the house. He hobbled down the porch and decided to take a short walk when a noise caught his attention. He soon realized it came from the barn. A faint glow could be seen filtering through the double doors which were not fully closed.

When Griff reached the barn, another wave of dizziness washed over him. Ignoring it, he carefully pushed the door open wider. The scene that enfolded before him sent a jolt through his racing heart. Inside the barn, there sat Jamie Cartwright sitting on the floor with a book propped up on one raised knee. He was reading aloud the story of The Three Musketeers. Griff recognized the words immediately, having read the book more than once. Within reach of the boy, there stood the black stallion that nobody wanted to ride. The horse whose temper earned him his name. The very same one that until now, Griff had never seen gentled by anybody else. His beloved Thunder. His prized horse. His friend. But there was something different in the way the horse looked and the way it stood supported by a harness attached to a pulley tied to a post. It tore at his heart when even at this distance he could hear the harsh intake of each breath the horse took and see the tremors coursing through his once lean muscles, which now hugged his bones. His once shiny coat was glistening with sweat and had a dull appearance. Even the horse's eyes were cast down as he struggled to stay conscious. Griff recognized a sick horse when he saw one. Thunder was very sick. He took a step inside the barn but the dizziness became overwhelming and the world seemed to dramatically tip to the side. Suddenly, there were two horses in front of Griff; then three.

"Griff?" a voice echoed in the ranch hand's skull. His breathing started to come in gasps and a rushing sound filled his ears drowning out the background noise around him. Everything went black. Random voices broke in and out of his line of hearing and images flashed before him before disappearing to be replaced by more scenes and faces. Some faces he would rather forget.

Jamie heard a thump and looked up, startled, from his book. "Oh no, Griff!" He let the book fall to the ground beside him and scrambled to his feet. He hurried toward the fallen ranch hand and shook him by the shoulder, not even certain if he were grabbing the injured man's good or lame shoulder. "I'll go get help!" The teen rushed out of the barn and raced up to the house.


	39. Chapter 39

**AN: A big, heartfelt thank you goes to our readers for their ingoing support :-D**

* * *

Chapter 39:

Out of breath, Jamie burst through the front door of the main house and ran straight into Candy's arms.

"Whoah! What happened? Is Griff with you?" Candy interrogated, his voice filled with worry. He held the boy by the shoulders at arm's length and waited for him to speak.

"Griff….he…..you gotta help me….he collapsed!" Jamie spluttered breathlessly.

Ben, who had already been woken up by the foreman moments ago when he had reported that Griff was not in his room, followed Candy and Jamie out the door.

When the three companions reached Griff, the young man was lying face down and white as a sheet.

"I shouldn't have left him for that long! I went to the kitchen to get more water but thought he'd be okay if I grabbed something to eat!" Candy berated himself.

"It's not your fault! He was fast asleep for hours and you never came down for dinner. You haven't eaten all day," Ben replied.

"Still!" insisted Candy.

"Let's just get him back up to the house."

Griff almost stirred when he heard fragments of the argument erupting above him. He tried to open his mouth to explain himself, but the effort became too much for him and he decided to just concentrate on breathing instead.

"Griff," Candy calmly addressed. "Don't move, okay? Jamie an' me are gonna get you back up to bed." He knelt down and rolled Griff on his back. "There you go."

Jamie spotted a bright red stain on the lower part of Griff's leg. "I think his ankle's bleeding again," observed the boy.

Nodding, Candy glanced down. "Just a little. That isn't enough to worry about. The stitches in his shoulder seem to be holding up pretty well too." Candy felt Griff's neck for a pulse and found a strong, rhythmic beat underneath his fingers. "I'll bring him back up to the house."

Jamie watched as Candy hoisted Griff in his arms and strode towards the house as if he were no heavier than a sack of flour. He looked down at the ground as the adrenaline left his body.

"Jamie," Ben softly addressed. "Is there a specific reason you were out here in the first place at this hour? I thought you and I had an agreement, hmm?"

Little white lies started to form in Jamie's thoughts, but instead, he turned his head and stared at Thunder. The horse was still looking unsteady and the harness was clearly holding up most of its weight. "He needs me, Pa."

"I see," Ben acknowledged. "Well, while I'm not buying into your excuse as a means to stay out here all night, I am glad you were so quick to act when Griff came stumbling through here in the dead of night. You might've saved his life. A night out in the cold on the barn floor could've really done some damage."

"I… Thanks, Pa," Jamie awkwardly accepted.

"Tell you what," the Cartwright patriarch suggested as he silently inspected Thunder's poor condition. "Since you and your brother found him, I'll take the night shift tonight. Go on back into the house."

Jamie hesitated. "Sounds reasonable," he finally agreed. "Anyway, I should go see if Candy needs any extra help with Griff."

Ben gave Jamie a proud smile and watched as his youngest son, who did not seem so young anymore, exit the barn. "Now," he said to Thunder, holding a pail of water up to him so he could drink easily. He was all too familiar with the horse's temperamental nature and decided to address it there and then. "Don't try to play games with me. I'm too old for that nonsense. You just concentrate on gettin' better, fella. I know two young men in particular who will be really counting on it."

As if he understood, Thunder gave a soft snort of feigned innocence.

* * *

Without really knowing how he got there, Griff opened his eyes to find himself back in bed. He squinted and saw Candy's face looming over him. "Candy?" he called out weakly, unsure of what was real and what was not. "Am I…?"

"Easy," Candy instructed. "Seemed like you tried to take a midnight stroll," he smiled, not wanting his worry to cause any change in Griff's condition.

Memories flitted through Griff's brain, but he had trouble distinguishing the past from the present. "I… uhh…" he groaned. "Was thirsty. An' hot."

"Yeah, that fever might have risen a little bit during the night," the foreman explained. His tone shifted and became more serious. "But you shouldn't have gotten up on that ankle."

"Just wanted to go outside," the youth defended. "So hot… Then I saw the light in the barn, I thought I saw…" Flashbacks of Nevada State Prison mixed with seeing his lost horse trussed up in a harness rushed into his mind in a haze. "Oh, I could've sworn..." Griff stopped himself from even considering such a thing. _There's no way I saw Thunder. It's been too long. He's probably not even alive. God, I miss him so much I must be seeing things!_ Suddenly, Griff was convinced that everything he saw was an illusion and his shoulders sagged in disappointment. "I don't know. I don't know what I saw. I guess 'm just confused."

Candy noticed the sudden dip in Griff's disposition, but he attributed it to the parolee's energy level diminishing. "Just try to get some sleep now," he winked. "And if you need anything, don't be afraid to holler."

Griff did not even bother to respond before falling back asleep. At that moment, Jamie slipped into the room. "I just came to make sure-"

Candy smiled and put his hand up to stop Jamie's long-winded explanation. "Griff's asleep again," he whispered. "Seems he woke up a bit disoriented and wandered around a bit to get cool."

Jamie nodded. He almost left, but an idea popped into his head and he stood his ground. "Pa said you didn't eat all day. I… I can stay with Griff while you go have a bite and get some shut-eye," he volunteered.

Biting his lip, Candy paused before answering. He did not want anything else to happen in his absence, but as long as Griff had someone with him, he did not see the harm in letting Jamie take a shift. _Besides, what's the worse that could happen if Griff's asleep?_ Candy was about to agree when his stomach rumbled, answering for him. "Just 'till morning," he smiled, vacating the seat so Jamie could take his place next to Griff's bed.


	40. Chapter 40

**Thank you, cherished readers, for your wonderful response. We are coming to a close, but still have a few more chapters in store for you. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 40:

Feeling like he was given another important responsibility, Jamie's heart swelled with pride. Pa had always said to him how with growing up comes responsibility. He wasn't about to disappoint him again. He'd done his fair share of that already, Jamie thought as he settled himself in his seat and tried not to get too comfortable. After all falling asleep on duty would mean certain failure. An hour ticked by followed by another and the house grew still as its occupants escaped into slumber. But not Jamie Cartwright. No, he was a man now and he had a duty to fulfil. As his eyelids started to weight down, the teenager shook his head to clear the cobwebs that began to fill it. He thought about reading the book he'd been reading Thunder but then remembered he'd left The Three Musketeers at the barn. With a sigh, Jamie got up and opened the window to let in the cool breeze. It helped a little and he hoped it would be enough to keep him awake until the sun rose which did not seem to be happening any time soon. Pacing the perimeter of the room, Jamie finally settled back down and continued to sit vigil by Griff's bedside. A soft murmur drew him to full alertness. He reached into the bowl on the bedside table and found the rag that had been used to bring down the young man's temperature. Squeezing the access water out, Jamie stretched it out then folded it until it was the right length and width to sit across Griff's forehead. Using one hand, he held the cloth in place and watched as the ranch hand started to become more unsettled.

"No, don't wanna go back. No! Stop it. I ain't….I ain't...no P-Pa!" Griff's muttering grew more vocal and he shook his head from side to side. "Lemme go!"

"Griff? Can you hear me? It's me, Jamie," the younger boy tried to reach out to the youth, who was clearly someplace other than the ranch. When Jamie gingerly put his hands on Griff's shoulders in an effort to restrain him, Griff reacted violently and a full-blown nightmare took hold of his senses.

"I said, let me go!"Griff howled, flailing out at Jamie and rocking back and forth on the bed. "Pa, please… No more. No!" The teenager trembled with fright as his eyes darted back and forth. Jamie was not sure who or what Griff was looking for, but he started to draw some conclusions. "D-don't hit me no more… I can't t-" he begged.

For a moment, Jamie looked on, but remained frozen in the chair. Over the past few weeks, he had seen the tough exterior of the parolee melt away, but that was because of injury and sickness. This, however, was different. It was as if Jamie were getting a glimpse into Griff's past. The adopted Cartwright wondered how often Griff had uttered this heart-wrenching pleas whilst awake.

 _The scene playing through Griff's mind suddenly shifted. He found himself in the hellbox of the Nevada State Prison. The looming figure of Griff's abusive stepfather stood in the doorway, blocking the only exit out of the small, windowless room._

" _God, the walls," Griff moaned, feeling suddenly short of breath. "Closin' in on me… Let me out, please!" In his dream, Griff charged towards the imposing man._

In reality, his limbs weakly shifted and tangled in the sheets.

" _No can do, boy," Charlie spat. "I'm locking you up- for good this time!" he laughed and easily pushed Griff off of him._

Another voice that was younger cut through Griff's hazy nightmare. "Griff, it's okay. It's just me, Jamie. You're-"

 _Jamie?_ Griff thought foggily. _Why are you here? What are you doing?_

 _Suddenly, Charlie morphed into Jamie, who stood with a rifle aimed right at Griff. "You're guilty, Griff," the nightmare-version of Jamie decreed. "Sentenced to being shot and left in here forever."_

" _Jamie?" Griff repeated, still ensnared in the nightmare. "No, Jamie, don't shoot me! Let me out! Don't shoot me, please! Don't…"_

The real Jamie was shocked at the uncensored fear in Griff's voice, but he was determined to bring the nineteen year-old back to awareness. "Griff, you're having a nightmare! Wake up!"

 _Instead of the real Jamie's pleas, a deafening blast from the gun in the dream erupted and Griff flinched. "Here's your new cellmate!" nightmare-Jamie wickedly laughed. A rabid wolf jumped through the door and pounced on Griff. Before he could even protect himself from the attack, Griff heard the heavy metal door slam shut._

"Oh, God, get him off!" he cried, writhing on the bed, fighting off the imaginary wolf. "Please… please help me!" Griff tangled himself up in the sheets as he thrashed, pulling at his body to rid himself from the clingy material of the bed.

 _Chains snaked across Griff and pulled tight, trapping him in the corner of the hellbox. He frantically pulled at the shackles, but it was no use. Unable to escape or protect himself, Griff squeezed his eyes shut and prepared for his demise. Terrified and in pain, his surroundings shifted faster than the injured teen's muddled brain could keep up with._

"Wolf… Pa? No… Jamie!" Griff sobbed, workings himself into hysterics with no way to snap himself out of the surreal torture his drugged mind had conjured up. "Shot, I'm shot… Don't hit me, I'm shot! Please..."

"No you're not!" Jamie suddenly said, trying to take control of the situation. Dealing with someone lost the past was unnerving for the youngest Cartwright, but he was determined to see his new friend through whatever he was facing. "You're not shot and there's no wolf. You have to believe me!"

 _Griff heard a disembodied voice leak through his cell. He could not quite place it, but he nonetheless tried to concentrate on it. Maybe it would help him escape the hellbox._

"Please, help!" he called out. "Help me!"

For a moment, Jamie was so surprised at hearing Griff ask for help he could not find his voice. To see the young man, who he thought had such a rough exterior that nothing could scare him, in such a vulnerable and even childlike state was jarring but strangely consoling. Jamie began to see the similarities between himself and Griff and instantly, he had another idea on how to make the suffering parolee.

"You're not alone," he whispered softly. "I promise. You're having a nightmare, but I swear, you're not alone. I don't know where you think you are but, I'm here with you."

 _The manacles seemed to melt away from Griff's wrists and ankles as the doors simultaneously disappeared. His step-father's harsh laughter could no longer be heard and the wolf vanished, as well…_

With a gasp, Griff thrust his eyes open and inhaled a ragged breath. "Oh, God," he breathed, just staring at the ceiling so he could regulate his breathing and get his bearings back. "I… I'm…" When the shock and trauma settled into Griff's body, he felt his eyes well up with tears and swiped a shaky hand across his face in a vain attempt to stop the impending flow.

"Waking up from a nightmare," finished Jamie. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah," Griff choked out. "Th-Th-Thanks." His voice cracked and the tears seemed not to stop. "I just thought…". He hesitated when he remembered Jamie's role in his nightmare. "For a second, you..." he started to insist before pressing his palms on his forehead. "No. No, I'm not okay," he finally admitted as a sob hung in his throat.

Feeling like he had just been introduced to the real Griff King, Jamie finally understood what the youth had been hiding behind that fort he'd built around himself. It was fear. The fear of people on the outside seeing the damage on the inside. Damage inflicted time and time again over a period of years. More determined than ever to help the young man and let him know that it was okay to show his fear and let loose on his emotions if he felt the need to, Jamie reached for the glass of water and offered it to Griff.

"Here, drink this. It'll help. You know, I get nightmares, too, sometimes. Not like yours but it's okay to talk about 'em," Jamie coaxed.

Swallowing hard, Griff looked up and locked eyes with the younger boy. He accepted the glass of water with a shaky hand. "Thanks," he croaked. "But I doubt you'd want to hear what I'd say." Griff was apprehensive about telling Jamie of his appearance in the dreams.

Griff's attempt to deflect Jamie's heartfelt concern went ignored by the young redhead. "Try me," bravely challenged Jamie.

For a moment, it looked as if Griff was going to crack, but he tried one last time to sidetrack Jamie's request. "Why?" he gruffly scoffed. "So you can have a good laugh about it later?"

Jamie straightened his spine and replied, "I don't think mine are funny. I doubt yours would be."

Griff was impressed at the boy's retort. When he realized that his defense mechanisms were suddenly useless, the onyx-haired ex-con dropped his gaze and his tone changed dramatically. "Ever feel like the walls would close in you?" It was more a rhetorical question than one he had expected Jamie to answer.

The young teen listened intently as Griff revealed his fear of being in enclosed spaces and how his step-father had instilled that fear into him from an early age. He confessed that his time in prison had only magnified his phobia, turning it into the worst demon imaginable. It became something from which he found no escape.

"I don't think these nightmares will ever stop," Griff sighed, feeling as though a great burden had been lifted off his chest.

Unbeknownst to the two boys, Ben Cartwright stood outside the doorway listening in as he hid in the shadows. A sad, yet relieved smile curled up at the corners of his mouth. It appeared that the young troubled ranch hand had finally found someone he could open up to. While he knew how close Griff was to Candy, he doubted that the young man had ever really opened up to him about his nightmares. No, he needed someone he could relate to. Someone closer to his own age. Someone whose childhood was also scarred, even if it were not caused from the same wounds.

Jamie swallowed nervously. "I don't know if they ever will, either," he reported sadly. "But I have learned that even if they come during the night, well… that's okay, because the days are so much better than that."

Griff squinted, focusing on the redhead. "What?" he asked, stupefied. "What do ya mean?"

"I mean…" Jamie paused, trying to verbally express what was inside his head. "I mean that the nightmares might be painful. Torturous, even," he sympathized, shuddering at what Griff had described. "But in the end, they're only dreams. Reality's what's important. Maybe for a couple hours each night your past comes up to haunt you, but during the day, well, it can't hurt you."

"I see," acknowledged Griff, still sounding a little unsure of himself.

"Think of it this way," Jamie tried again. "You're a ranch hand. Not some kid trapped with a monster, not an inmate in prison. You work for my Pa and you live on the Ponderosa. That's real and now, so it's more important than what your bastard father did to you."

A smirk appeared on Griff's face when he heard the boy, who had always seemed so naive and innocent, spout such knowledge and swear. "Jamie Cartwright," he laughed with admiration. "I didn't know you had it in ya!"

Ben stifled a laugh, making sure he remained undetected.

"I guess you're rubbing off on me," Jamie shyly smiled. "For what it's worth, I'm glad your reality is here with us." Clasping Griff's hand, he realized he felt more relaxed in Griff's presence that he ever had been before.

"Me too," the parolee responded, relaxing at the small, comforting contact. "Thanks, Jamie." His breathing began to slow and the youngest Cartwright son was elated that he had helped the suffering teen to return to sleep. "You really are your father's son," he observed.

To Jamie, no greater complement could have ever been uttered. He had spent years feeling inadequate and as if he was not a true Cartwright. For Griff to reassure him that he was indeed part of the family meant more to Jamie than he could ever express.

"Those dreams ain't real, Griff," Jamie repeated. "Besides, if you have another nightmare where I'm gonna shoot ya, you don't have to be scared." Griff shot Jamie a puzzled look, causing the youth to break out in a grin. "I don't have good aim!"

Too tired to speak, Griff gave Jamie's hand a strong squeeze as he drifted into a healing sleep.


	41. Chapter 41

**Thank you so much to our audience! We are so happy to read these wonderful reviews, both signed and anonymous. Please enjoy this next chapter in our saga. Only a couple more chapters to go...**

* * *

Chapter 41:

The days rolled by and life on the Ponderosa picked up pace with the return of the ranch hands and new horses to break. The absence of Candy, Ben and his eldest sons during the day while they oversaw the duties on the ranch as well as in town meant the responsibility to watch over Griff fell on young Jamie Cartwright. Although the boy proudly accepted the duty, it meant that he had less time to spend with Thunder, whose recovery was almost non-existent. The stallion's fate still hung in the air and it saddened Jamie that each time his brothers saw the horse, it seemed as though the world had given up on him. He even caught snippets of his brothers' conversations as they worked on their chores about putting the animal out of its misery. Candy had even started looking at the new arrival of horses they were breaking for a possible candidate to replace Thunder. Nevertheless, Jamie refused to give up hope. He'd even resorted to sleeping in the barn most nights and sneaking back into the house just before dawn.

As Griff's strength returned, the Cartwrights and Candy began to worry that he would find Thunder in his present condition but it appeared that the ranch hand wasn't ready to venture out to the barn or out to the pastures. While he did made the excuse that he was just too tired and not ready to put weight on his leg, everyone knew that the real reason had to do with Griff not wanting to see what he believed would be an empty stall that had once housed Thunder. He had started to believe that he had lost his mount and no one had the heart to tell him that Thunder was still alive and that his days were numbered if he didn't miraculously recover soon.

"Hey, look at that one," Candy suggested, pointing to a Palomino horse trotted around the chorale. "She's a good lookin' mare."

Joe wiped the sweat off of his brow and squinted to get a good look at the horse. "A real beaut!" he whistled. "We should get to branding her by the end of the day."

"Y'know," the foreman said with faux-nonchalance. "Griff's gonna be up to riding soon. He'll need a horse."

Seeing right through his friend, Joe let the hot iron sit in the coals to heat up. "To tell you the truth, I think Griff's up to riding now. Usually, he can't wait to get back in the saddle, but lately, you can't drag him out of that room let alone outside."

Candy's lips twitched into a frown, but he was a bit relieved that someone else was getting the same vibe from the healing ex-con. "I think you're right," he admitted. "And I'm getting worried about him. I know how special Thunder was to him, but this is a working ranch. Horses come and go."

"It's more than that," Joe sympathized. "Thunder was more than a horse to Griff. He was a companion. There ain't a doubt they had something special. I'll tell you one thing, everyone else was ready to sell that unruly stallion if he hadn't responded so well to Griff."

"True," agreed Candy. "But none of that changes the fact that the kid is gonna need a new horse. It just might be the thing to get him back to his old self."

Instead of answering, Joe picked up the branding iron, now red-hot and ready to use. "Come on," he summoned as Candy readied the next animal into the small pen. Joe thought about his deep bond with Cochise, and he doubted that a new horse would make Griff instantly forget Thunder. After the next horse was branded, he looked up to see Ben returning home. "Looks like you fellas are almost done," he observed contently.

"Yeah, uhh, Mr. Cartwright," Candy asked. "What do you think about that horse there as Griff's mount?"

"The Palomino? She's a fine, strong lookin' animal," Ben said with approval. "But don't you think Griff should decide on a new horse himself?"

Candy sighed. "I just wanted to help him. He seems so down lately. And Thunder's not getting any better. I just thought…" he hesitated. "Well, I don't like sayin' it anymore than you do, but if Thunder can't even eat on his own…"

Ben grimaced. "There's been no improvement?" When Candy shook his head, the owner of the Ponderosa's heart sank. As mush as he would love to nurture every animal back to health, sometimes, that was impossible. "Hoss and Adam told me the same thing yesterday. We've been trying our hardest, but… I'll talk to Jamie about it tonight."

"I don't know what Griff's gonna do when he finds out," the foreman scoffed sadly.

"Or Jamie," Joe chimed.

"They both want what's best for Thunder. Sometimes, it's hard to figure out what that is," Ben noted. "Griff'll perk up soon, especially after tomorrow night." He was careful to avoid saying anything explicit about the soon-to-be-twenty year-old's surprise party. "Hop Sing is already cooking up a storm and Adam's very excited about the gift we all chipped in for. Even Doc Martin told Griff he can start cutting back on the antibiotics and stop the quinine so he'll be more alert! The boy has no idea."

Although he was still apprehensive about Griff's low spirits, Candy could not help but smile at the idea of the party. "It does sound like a fun night," he relented. "For, for Griff, I mean."

"Oh, of course," Ben and Joe simultaneously winked, knowing that Candy had a reputation for being the life of the party. "For Griff."

* * *

On the evening before Griff's birthday party, Jamie sat in his usual spot in the barn, reading the final page of The Three Musketeers out loud. "Well, that's the end, my friend." Jamie yawned and closed the book. He sat back, leaning against the wooden post and heaved a sigh of sorrow as he took in the horse's lustreless coat, blank stare and the bones that protruded through his taut skin. It broke the youth's heart that he had tried so hard to nurse the animal back to health when it only seemed to prolong his suffering. Placing the book down on the ground, Jamie stood up, brushed himself off, and approached Thunder. He leaned his head against the horse's nose and stroked his neck. Squeezing his eyes shut, Jamie held the animal and came to a decision. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I made you suffer for so long. It will be alright now. I know what I have to do." He lifted his head and looked into the horse's eyes. Hot tears fell down Jamie's face as he resigned himself to the animal's fate. The sun would be up soon and with it the decision to tell Joe that he was ready to let Thunder go. Not wanting to leave his charge's side for the last time, Jamie decided he would risk suffering the consequences of getting caught disobeying his pa's wishes and stay with ailing horse. As if he wanted to comfort the boy, Thunder bobbed his head and snorted weakly.

Jamie smiled a sad smile and returned to post to wait for the sun to fully rise. Exhaustion won over his determination to stay awake and before the boy knew it, he had drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	42. Chapter 42

**Thanks, everyone, for readng and leaving these wonderful reviews! They are spurring us on to add more updates quicker!**

* * *

Chapter 42:

Morning came and the Ponderosa awoke to the warm glow of the sunshine bathing the land and filtering through the windows of the main house. Hop Sing was first to wake up and prepare breakfast in the kitchen for a house full of hungry men. As Ben Cartwright walked down the hallway, he paused outside his youngest son's room and knocked lightly on the door. When no answer or sound issued from within, Ben slowly opened the door and to his surprise was met with an empty bed. In fact, it looked as though it hadn't been slept in since the previous night. The sheets were still neatly tucked under the mattress, the blanket uncreased. Frowning, he came to the conclusion that his son had stayed out with the ailing horse against his wishes. With a sigh, he closed the door again and made his way down the stairs. He decided it would probably be best to deal with Jamie after a cup of strong coffee, maybe even two cups.

* * *

An odd sound pulled Jamie out of slumber and he stirred to wakefulness. Rubbing his eyes and stretching his arms above his head, he blinked several times until his vision cleared. Realization quickly hit him when he felt the warm rays of sunshine streaming through the cracks of the barn and the door which he had left open during the night to let in some fresh air. The string of curses that tumbled out of his mouth earned him a loud snort from the black stallion. Jamie did a double take when he saw to his amazement that the very same animal he'd watch waste away the last few days was now feeding on some hay he'd tried to force feed just the previous day. The boy rubbed his eyes, afraid that the image was just an illusion that would disappear at any given moment. Clambering to his feet, Jamie checked the bucket of water which would normally be empty by now as the horse was constantly dehydrated. To his surprise, it was still half full. Still needing more proof that this wasn't just some dream or trick his mind was playing on him, Jamie approached the animal and started to stroke its flank. He wasn't perspiring and the tremors had stopped. His temperature had definitely dropped and from the way the horse was standing, he seemed to be supporting most of its weight on his own rather than being dependant on the harness and pulley to keep him upright. Letting out a whoop of joy, Jamie had forgotten all about the promise he made to his Pa and failed to notice the disapproving stance that his father had taken right outside the barn door.

Clearing his throat to attract the attention of his son, Ben was mildly amused to see the boy jump a foot into the air.

"Pa!" Jamie yelped. _Oh, boy, am I in trouble now._

"Jamie, I believe you owe me an explanation for disobeying me," Ben sternly berated.

"I...I fell asleep last night. I'm real sorry, Pa. I know I shouldn't have lied to you and stayed out here so late but I thought Thunder wasn't gonna make it. Well, I had to stay. I couldn't just leave him!" Jamie hastily explained before he drew a deep breath and straightened up his spine, preparing to take whatever punishment his father had in store for his disobedience. "I know I deserve to be punished but I don't regret what I did. For the first time in days, Thunder has started eatin' again. He's stronger now than he has been since we found him. No, I have no regrets. I'll take whatever you have in store for me and I'll take it like a man."

Had Jamie's insubordination been of a more serious nature, Ben would have punished him then and there but shifting his gaze from Jamie to the horse then back to Jamie again, he couldn't help but feel a sense a pride in his boy. "Well, I can't say that I approve of you going behind my back and staying out here in the cold all night but I do understand why you did it. I appreciate you taking responsibility for your actions but if you go against my orders again, Jamie Cartwright, I'll…." Whatever Ben had to say was left unfinished when Joe and Hoss raced into the barn,whistling and laughing with joy. His disapproving stare went unnoticed by his two older sons as they started inspecting the horse for themselves and interrogated Jamie on how on Earth he had managed to perform such a miracle when the animal had been on death's door just the night before.

* * *

Stepping into the guest room that had been housing Griff since the accident, Adam audibly sighed. Yet again, he found Griff sitting up in bed and staring out the window. An open copy of Henry James's Turn of the Screw sat on the boy's lap. Even though Adam could tell Griff noticed him, he did not turn towards the black-clad visitor. Little did Adam know that Griff was actually thinking about the friend he was sure he had lost, Thunder. His hazy illusion was the last memory of his beloved steed Griff could hang on to. _I was just imagining things. I had to be! He's gone. Dead and gone. I need to except that. God, I didn't even get to say goodbye…_ Seeing an empty stall would only solidify his grief, so Griff had chosen to practically barricade himself in his room and snap at anyone who mentioned the alternative.

"Afternoon, Griff," the oldest Cartwright son greeted with a warm smile.

At the sound of his friend's voice, Griff picked up the book and pretended to be engrossed in the wordy narration. "Hi, Adam," he sullenly responded.

"It's a nice day out," the rancher noted, pointing to the window Griff had just been looking out of. "Why don't you go out for a walk? The sun'll do you some good."

Griff bristled at Adam's covertness. "Will the sun heal my broken ankle?" he shot back.

"Nope, but a little exercise will help you get your strength back." Adam snatched the unused crutch Doc Martin had left for Griff. "Doctor's orders."

Eyeing the crutch, Griff sagged his shoulders. "Maybe later," he insisted, not ready to face the fact that Thunder was gone and never coming back. "I'm kinda busy here." That excuse sounded hollow even to Griff's ears.

"Oh?" quipped Adam. He sat down on the edge of the bed and cocked his head. "Why don't we skip all this small talk so you can tell me what's really going on?" he suggested, crossing his arms.

"Nothing!" Griff huffed, running his hands through his curly hair. "I'm tired and still hurtin', so I'd appreciate it if everyone just left me in peace." He paused to inhale a shaky breath.

Adam remained stoic in the face of the outburst. "I see you're reading James today. What happened to Dumas?"

"I couldn't find the book," the parolee admitted. "I know I had it with me on that hunting trip but… I guess with all the commotion…" Suddenly, even the lost novel reminded Griff of his horse. "I lost it," he whispered brokenly.

Adam sensed that it wasn't the lost book that had Griff so emotionally worked up, but being an older brother, he knew that sometimes people need space. "Hmm. The novels are quite different from each other, aren't they?" He pretended to ignore the water that had misted over Griff's blue eyes.

"Yeah," agreed Griff disdainfully, not impressed with the ghost story. "I can't tell if the ghosts are real or just in her head."

Raising an eyebrow, Adam declared, "That's the point of the book, Griff. You, the reader, have to decide that for yourself. Maybe the ghosts are a figment of the governess's imagination or maybe not. Either way, she allows her obsession to control her life, and that makes them real anyway."

A chill passed though Griff. Without even knowing the actual problem, Adam had managed to give him applicable advice. "Yeah," he nodded half-heartedly. "I guess." He shut the book with a slam. "Would you mind handing me my crutch? That is, if you're willing to help me outta this bed."

"Sure thing. Here you go. Easy now," Adam coaxed as he helped the young man out of bed and passed him his crutch. He kept a steadying hand on Griff's waist until he was sure the parolee wasn't going to lose his balance. Together they walked out of the guest room and slowly made their way down the stairs, one step at a time.


	43. Chapter 43

**A grand thank you to all of our readers and reviewers! We are simply overjoyed at the feedback we've been receiving. Please enjoy this next installment. Although it is bittersweet to say, this is the penultimate chapter. The final chapter will be an epilogue. Hope to hear from you!**

* * *

Chapter 43:

"Why's it so dark down there? Someone needs to pull those curtains open and get some sunlight in," Griff commented.

"Yeah, I'll take care of that," Adam dismissed with a wave of his hand.

When the duo finally reached the bottom step and entered the living room, a chorus of, "Surprise!" erupted followed by more than a dozen heads seeming to appear from behind the furniture while others leaped out of the dark shadows in the corners of the room. Someone drew the curtains apart, allowing the sunlight to filter in, although it wasn't long for it to start setting.

"Happy birthday, Griff!" The gathering crowd clapped and cheered. They consisted of the Cartwright clan, the boys from the bunkhouse, Candy and some of the neighbours who had met the young ranch hand during his stay on the Ponderosa.

"I….I don't know what to say," Griff croaked, his voice filled with emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. No one had ever celebrated his birthday before let alone throw a party of any kind in his honor, not even his struggling mother.

"Well come on," Ben beckoned. "Sit down before the food gets cold!" He escorted Griff to the head of the table as the rest of the party took their seats, too.

Griff sat stunned as Hop Sing brought out heaping platters full of Griff's favorite meals. His eyes widened as he gazed at the corn on the cob, pork chops, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Trying to decide where to begin, he inhaled and relished the delicious scent. Finally, when all other eyes expectantly fell on him, Griff cleared his throat and used the table to support him as he stood. "I, uhh, I w-watned to say thanks to everyone f-for coming tonight. It means a whole lot to me. Truly, it does," he stuttered as he felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment. "And of c-course, thank you to Mr. Cartwright and his family for throwing this party. I sure was surprised! Nobody's ever thrown me a party before and… Wow! I could have never imagined it to be like this. Thanks to Hop Sing for cooking this whole meal, and Adam for getting me downstairs, and-" Griff began to list off, suddenly unaware how much he was droning on.

"You're welcome!" Hop Sing yelled over his shoulder as he return to a boiling pot on the stove. "Now sit down and let everyone eat!"

The whole table erupted with laughter and Griff obliged. "Don't have to tell me twice!" he smiled, digging into the food himself.

* * *

As the party ran its course, Griff found himself a little dazed that people would take the time and effort to put together a celebration in his honor. While he was overjoyed, he also felt somewhat awkward and at a loss of what he should do or say. A simple thank you seemed to be an inadequate expression to show the gratitude he felt. With a sigh, the ranch hand decided to refill his glass. Several times along the way he was stopped and politely engaged himself in conversation with a guest or one of the Cartwright clan.

For the first time in days, the young man found himself ready to accept that his companion and loyal steed was truly gone and that life will have to go on. Surrounded by a family that he could call his own, the sadness, guilt and grief he felt began to close the gaping wound in his heart, leaving a scar as a reminder of what he had.

Pulling himself out of his reverie, Griff noticed that there was one party tonight that had made himself scarce. Young Jamie Cartwright had disappeared and the rancher wondered if everything was alright with the boy. He had, after all, gone through a traumatic experience during his abduction by hardened criminal Issac Warren who met his timely demise at the hands of Adam Cartwright. Griff scanned the room periodically then headed over to the dining table and poured himself another drink of homemade lemonade before he felt a hand clap down on his shoulder.

"Something on your mind, Griff?" Ben Cartwright asked with a smile.

"No, I...I still can't believe y'all organized this party for me. I don't rightly know what else to say," Griff stammered.

"You're part of our family now. There's nothing you could say that we don't already know so just enjoy the evening," Ben reassured.

Griff nodded and opened his mouth to ask if Ben had seen Jamie around when four jovial men strode over to them.

"There you are! We've been lookin' all over for you. Thought you'd fallen asleep in a corner somewhere!" Joe quipped.

"Our host got a little thirsty," Ben supplied.

"How long did it take for you guys to set this up?" Griff asked.

"Not as long as it took to set up Hoss's, what with all the food we had to prepare. It took Hop Sing days to cook up a storm. You all know how hungry Hoss can get, right?" Joe chuckled, punching his robust brother in the arm. A hiccup escaped his lips.

"Little brother, if you weren't half as drunk as I figure you was about now, I'd whoop ya real good!" Hoss threatened in jest.

"Just how much wine have you had, Joseph?" Ben questioned with just the right hint of authority in his tone to get his younger son's undivided attention.

"Only as much as Adam, here's had, Pa, honest! Besides, I've been old enough to drink for a long while now," Joe countered playfully.

"That may be, but you still can't hold your liquor, can you?" Adam teased.

"Alright, come on fellas, leave him be. We've got something more important to do," Candy cut in.

"You're right, Candy. Griff, we'd like you to have this. It's from all of us," Adam revealed a thick a tightly wrapped package from behind his back and handed it to the ranch hand..

"A gift, too?" Griff gaped, examining the package. He carefully removed the brown paper, taking care not to rip it into shreds, and revealed a beautiful,hardcover book with a leather binding. On the front cover was Webster's Dictionary in bold lettering. Griff smoothed his hand over the gold-plated words. "A dictionary?!" he yelped, thumbing through the book. "My very own dictionary! Wow!" A wide smile broke out over his face and he clutched the gift to his chest. "Thank you," he genuinely grinned, casting looks at each of the men. "This is… this is something special," he said, surprised by the formation of a lump in his throat. "Thank you so much," the twenty year-old choked out. "I can't believe you would do this for me."

"We're family," Ben articulated with pride. "This is what a family does."

Griff gave a few quick nods, not trusting his voice. Sensing that Griff needed a moment to collect his composure, Candy suggested that the three piece band strike up a song so dancing could ensue. After a heavy sigh, the birthday boy relaxed in his chair and watching a dazzling performance as the Virginia City citizens turned the Cartwright living room into a dance floor.

Pursing his lips at his crutch, Griff looked on at all the guests. He was truly touched that everyone had attended the party. His thoughts strayed back to Jamie, though, when he could not find the boy anywhere. Halfheartedly figuring Jamie had something better to do than make an appearance at the party, he turned his attention back to the dancing and music.

* * *

As the evening grew late and the party wore down, Griff decided some fresh air was in order. Since his return to the ranch from the ill fated hunting expedition, he had barely stepped foot outside of the main house. He attributed his reluctance to venture out doors to the disappearance of his horse. While Thunder had only been a part of his life for a short period in time, it was nonetheless the better part of his life. Now, here he was, gazing up at the stars as he leaned against the gates, ready to move on without his loyal stead. He said a silent prayer and hoped that Thunder was in a better place. The cool breeze blew the loose strands of his hair back away from his face. With a sigh, Griff retrieved his crutch and slowly turned to head back to the house when a faint glow emanating from what could be a lantern filtering through the partially opened barn doors stopped him in his tracks. His thoughts drifted to Jamie and he wondered if the boy were in the barn. Curious, Griff hobbled over to the red structure and slipped inside. What he saw next made his heart skip a beat. Surely his eyes were deceiving him? For one jaw dropping moment that seemed to last eternity, the young ranch hand stood, utterly shocked at the sight before him.

 _Could it be?_ He wondered.


	44. Epilogue

**Wow, what a ride this story has been! We would like to acknowledge our wonderful readers and reviews who faithfully supported this tale which would not be what it is without you. We hope this epilogue does the story justice.**

 **For more tales featuring Griff King, who may well be the most underrated Bonanza character of all time, please check out the community located on this site titled "Collection of Griff King Stories."**

 **Farewell for now, dear readers. We hope you enjoyed this story as much as we enjoyed writing it together. We look forward to hear from you on our next adventure! (And we promise, there WILL be future stories.) Thanks again!**

 **~VCS**

* * *

Epilogue:

Circling the centre of the barn was a black stallion led by a red headed teen who was clearly too distracted to notice that he was no longer alone with the horse. He seemed to be immersed in a one-sided conversation with the animal who would snort at the most appropriate intervals, giving the appearance that he was communicating with his human companion.

Griff ventured a step forward when the crutch slipped from his grasp and fell with a dull thud onto the ground.

Both Jamie and the horse he'd been nurturing back to health paused and looked toward the source of the noise. A wide grin broke out on the teenager's face when he caught the look Griff was throwing their way. "Griff!" he yelped out in surprise.

Forgetting that his ankle was still on the mend, the older youth attempted to take several steps forward but he stumbled and fell against a wooden pillar.

"Whoah! Easy! Here, lemme help ya," Jamie released the reins he'd been holding and rushed to help the recovering ranch hand right himself.

"Thanks," Griff mumbled, never taking his blue eyes from the black stead in front of him. Absent-mindedly, he allowed Jamie to help him steady himself then leaned heavily against him.

Jamie led Griff closer to the prized stallion and watched in awe at the reunion between the stead and his rider.

"Thunder?" Griff reached out a shaky hand and stroked the animal's nose.

Thunder bobbed his head and nuzzled up into Griff's shoulder.

Unprepared for the enthusiastic reception, Griff lost his balance and fell on his behind, taking a chuckling Jamie down with him.

Thunder let out a loud snort then reached down and licked Griff's face all over.

"It is you, boy, isn't it?" Griff croaked gleefully, his voice thick with emotion. He turned his head to one side and gave Jamie a questioning look. "How?"

"It was nothing really," Jamie shrugged. "I mean, this was the least I could do, Griff. I almost killed you! I had to make it up to you somehow. I wanted your birthday to be special."

As if the horse felt a degree of indignation for being treated as an object, he let out a whinny of annoyance.

Jamie chuckled and directed his next comment at Thunder. "Yeah, yeah. It wasn't all about Griff was it, boy? No, I couldn't very well give up on you after everything we've been through now could I?"

Griff shakily rose to his feet, using the stall door to keep his balance. "This is… This is…" he stuttered, looking up at the black stallion in awe. Thunder responded by bobbing his head and whinnying as Griff got close enough to stroke his neck. "This is…"

Jamie was relieved to see the reunion going so well, even if Griff was nearly speechless. "Not enough to make up for shooting you," Jamie supplied.

"This is more than enough," Griff finally finished. "This is everything. He's special, really special." When Griff opened his arms, Jamie thought that he was going to hug his beloved horse, which Griff did, but not before including Jamie in the heartfelt embrace. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I… I couldn't've asked for a better gift." He tightened his grip, not realizing Jamie was already struggling to take a full breath. At that moment, however, the sixteen year old could not have cared less.

When they let go, Griff looked up at the horse, unable to pull his gaze away. "I thought you were gone forever, Thunder." A waterfall of emotion suddenly spilled forth. "You were gone for so long. How'd you survive huh, boy?" the enthralled young man questioned. "To think you were out there somewhere. Scared, lost, alone…" He ran his fingers through the horse's coarse mane then wrapped an arm around its neck in a heartfelt embrace. "But you're here now and that's all that matters."

"And sick" Jamie disclosed. "When we- when Joe and I- found him, he had bryony poisoning."

"Bryony poisoning?" Griff repeated, blanching at the thought of his horse ingesting the deadly plant. "But that's usually fatal. Thunder looks pretty good, maybe a little underweight, but that's nothing a few weeks and some hay won't fix, an-" Griff paused when he saw the remnants of the harness used to keep Thunder on his feet hanging on a nail next to the stall. Immediately, the hand knew what the device was used for and he clutched Thunder's black mane a little tighter. "You saved him. You really did," he quietly deduced.

"Well, it wasn't just me," Jamie quickly added. "Joe and Candy helped me get him trussed up in the harness, and everyone pitched in on nursing him back to health."

Griff was at a loss for words to express his gratitude so he looked into the younger boy's eyes and nodded.

Jamie didn't need to hear the words that were left unsaid. He could see it all in the ranch hand's eyes .

Unnoticed by the youths, Ben Cartwright and his sons stood by the open doors of the barn, a mixture of relief and amusement written on each of their faces as they watched the scene before them unfold. They were soon joined by their charismatic foreman, Candy, who allowed a wide grin to spread across his features. He couldn't think of a more memorable worthy moment than to see Griff at peace, reunited with one of the few living creatures on this world who loved him for the person he was. Looking around him, he could see that the young man was surrounded by the greatest gift of all. Family. To feel loved and accepted. No one could ask for more than that and for the raven haired young man, Candy knew that there was no better place to call home than the Ponderosa.

 _ **End.**_


End file.
